Former Woodland Priest Accused of Molestation Has Hearing Friday
By Katherine Jarvis
The Rev. Uriel Ojeda may finally enter a plea on molestation charges at a hearing Friday in Sacramento Superior Court. Ojeda, a 32-year-old former priest at Woodland's Holy Rosary Catholic Church, faces seven counts of molesting a girl under the age of 14 between 2007 and 2009. Ojeda served at Holy Rosary from 2007 until 2009. Previous reports said the crimes occurred in Sacramento and Shasta counties, where Ojeda was a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Redding. His hearing will take place at 1:35 p.m. in Department 61 at the main jail at 652 I St. Ojeda was released on bail in January when a judge lowered it to $700,000 from $5 million. Throughout much of Ojeda's hearings following his late November arrest, a group of supporters have been in attendance, including many from Yolo County. Around 30 people attended his hearing Feb. 2. Ojeda's attorney Jesse Ortiz previously said the allegations are untrue and his client is being punished by officials in the Sacramento diocese who don't like him. Ojeda was one of the youngest priests in the diocese. After his ordination in June 2007, he came to Woodland that August. In an interview with The Daily Democrat, Ojeda had said his family was surprised he made such a big decision at such a young age. The Daily Democrat also asked Ojeda if he had mixed feelings about giving up marriage or children of his own. "I think it's only natural," he replied. "For all of our decisions, there's always something we give up. Married people, for example, give up being with other people. In (the priestly) sense, there's some things we do give up, but from what I've experienced, there are a lot more blessings than things I've given up." Follow Katherine Jarvis at twitter.com/katherinejarvis
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