Molestation Hearing for Former Woodland Priest Delayed until April

By Katherine Jarvis
Daily Democrat
March 14, 2012

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/ci_20171830/molestation-hearing-former-woodland-priest-delayed-until-april

In this May 21, 2009 photo, Father Uriel Ojeda meets with several concerned members of the community at his parish over the Woodand police shooting of Luis Gutierrez, the 26-year-old Woodland man who was killed by gang unit officers in Sacramento. Ojeda, a priest in the Sacramento Roman Catholic diocese has been arrested on accusations that he molested a child.

A former Woodland priest will not return to Sacramento Superior Court on molestation charges until April.

The Rev. Uriel Ojeda, 32, served as a priest at Woodland's Holy Rosary Catholic Church from 2007 until 2009.

His hearing last Friday was continued until 1:35 p.m. Thursday, April 12. He has yet to enter a plea to seven counts of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a girl under the age of 14 between 2007 and 2009.

According to the criminal complaint, the crimes occurred in Sacramento and Shasta counties, where Ojeda was a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Redding.

Throughout much of Ojeda's hearings following his late November arrest, a group of supporters have been in attendance, including many from Yolo County.

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.

Ojeda was released on bail in January when a judge lowered it to $700,000 from $5 million.