Priest Accused of Sex Abuse in Court Today

Contra Costa Times
July 25, 2012

http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_21154971/priest-accused-sex-abuse-court-today

LONG BEACH — A man who served as a parish priest at a Catholic church in Long Beach is scheduled to be arraigned today on nine sex-related counts.

The Rev. Luis Jose Cuevas, 67, is charged with one felony count of lewd act on a child and eight misdemeanor counts of sexual battery involving a 17- year-old girl and two women. The crimes allegedly occurred between July 2010 and February of this year.

Cuevas was a parish priest at St. Athanasius Catholic Church for seven years and lived on the Linden Avenue church grounds at the time, according to police. He was charged last week and arrested at a residence in San Jacinto Monday by Long Beach police with the assistance of U.S. marshals.

Cuevas has been jailed in lieu of $1 million bail while awaiting arraignment in Long Beach Superior Court.

More to come early this afternoon.