Sacramento Diocese Catholic Priest Sentenced for Lewd Acts with Child

Daily Democrat
August 2, 2013

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/08/02/sacramento-diocese-catholic-priest-sentenced-for-lewd-acts-with-child/

A Roman Catholic priest has been sentenced to eight years in prison for molesting a 13-year-old parishioner.

Rev. Uriel Ojeda pleaded no contest to molesting the girl in early July. As part of the plea deal, the district attorney dropped six of the seven molestation charges.

The 32-year-old priest has been a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Redding since 2009, leading up to his arrest in 2011. Before that, he served at a parish in Woodland, where he met the young girl. She came forward to the church with the allegations in late November 2011.

During the sentencing Friday, the victim and parents’ lawyer Allison Dunham read a statement on their behalf.

“A selfish, self centered man who made my life hell,” Dunham read from the victim’s handwritten statement.

However, it came as a shock to his supporters as he admitted his guilt in court.

“I would like the record to show my plea, instead of no contest, is guilty,” said Ojeda. “I have, uh, committed a crime and a serious sin.”

He asked the Catholic Church, his supporters and the victim and her family for forgiveness.

“My actions were of a weak and sinful man,” he said.

While statements from the victim and her family were read, Ojeda stared straight ahead — giving no reaction.

The victim says Ojeda thought she would never tell but learned she is stronger than she thought.

“I’m not traumatized anymore because I spoke up,” the statement read.

But speaking out has caused the family harassment from Ojeda’s supporters. During the reading of the statements, several supporters rolled their eyes in disbelief. A diocese spokesperson says he’s glad Ojeda admitted to what he did and hopes his supporters will accept the truth.

“It was very disrespectful and I hope that one of the things that happens out of this, people can look in their own hearts and see ‘Oh my gosh, he did it’ and what have my actions been since following this,” said Diocese of Sacramento spokesperson Kevin Eckerly.

Eckerly says only the Roman Catholic Church can strip Ojeda of his priesthood and that’s in the works.

In a statement, the victim’s family says they changed churches to try and avoid the harassment and punishment.