New Suit Filed against Former Ontario Priest

By Melissa Pinion-Whitt
San Bernardino Sun
September 18, 2012

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_21577447/new-suit-filed-against-former-ontario-priest

ONTARIO - The man behind black sunglasses occasionally tugged at the rosary around his neck as he spoke to a small group of reporters Tuesday in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

He only identified himself as being in his 30s and a Pomona resident, but the man claimed he also is one of the six known victims who was molested by former Ontario priest Alejandro Castillo just a few months after he turned 18 years old.

"You gotta talk to your kids," he said. "Give them the benefit of the doubt."

The man came to the church in support of another victim who filed a lawsuit Monday against the Diocese of San Bernardino and Castillo, claiming sexual abuse by the priest and a cover-up by the diocese.

The suit, the third filed against Castillo alleging sexual abuse, claims the victim was molested by Castillo when he was a catechism student at 15 and 16 years old in 2003. He is now 26 and living in Mexico.

The victim alleged that Castillo would isolate him from adults and children and sexually abuse him.

The suit also claims abuse by Castillo occurred as far back as the 1970s.

"We know of complaints that were made years ago and (the diocese) actively worked with Father Castillo to silence the victims," said Anthony De Marco, the attorney representing the victim.

John Andrews, spokesman for the diocese, said Castillo has been permanently banned from public ministry in the diocese by Bishop Gerald R. Barnes.

He declined comment on the lawsuit because he said he has not seen it.

"Any time we learn of a new allegation of abuse in our diocese we are saddened and dismayed," he said. "Our church believes and teaches and trains that sexual abuse of children and youth is unacceptable, a crime and a sin."

Andrews said documents regarding Castillo's case have been sent to the Vatican in Rome, but there has been no determination as to whether Castillo will be laicized, or defrocked.

But even with that issue in limbo, he said it is unlikely Castillo would be able to act as a priest within another diocese because his criminal record will follow him.

The news conference, organized by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, took place outside the church where Castillo worked for seven years and where the alleged abuse occurred.

No charges have been filed regarding the victim connected to the lawsuit.

Ontario police arrested Castillo at a parishioner's home in October 2010, alleging that he molested a 12-year-old boy and that there were at least four other victims.

The abuse occurred as early as 2000 when Castillo worked at a church in Rialto, police said.

Charges were not filed in connection with the four other victims due to insufficient evidence or because the crimes occurred beyond the statute of limitations.

The unidentified man who spoke to reporters says he was one of the four victims, but because he had turned 18 when the incidents began, charges couldn't be filed. He alleged that Castillo gave him full-body massages off and on during two years.

"I was thinking that was normal," the man said.

A group of parishioners called the Coalition to Exonerate Father Alex raised $24,000 so Castillo could post bail and be released from custody.

Castillo pleaded no contest to committing a lewd act with a child as part of a plea agreement in August 2011 and was sentenced to a year in jail.

He served eight months of the sentence and was released from jail in April. But he wound up back behind bars less than two weeks later after his supporters threw him a surprise party to celebrate his release.

There were children present at the party, which is a violation of his probation terms.

A San Bernardino Superior Court judge gave him the benefit of the doubt because Castillo claimed he wasn't aware of the party or that children would be attending.

De Marco called the filing of the lawsuit the beginning of what he anticipates will be a long journey. He and SNAP officials believe there are additional victims who haven't come forward out of fear.

"How many boys has he had unfettered access to?" De Marco said. "How many boys have suffered in silence?"