Temple City Man Alleges Sexual Abuse by Catholic Church Volunteer

By Rebecca Kimitch
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune
January 29, 2014

http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20140128/temple-city-man-alleges-sexual-abuse-by-catholic-church-volunteer

Robert Reynolds, right, and his attorney Michael Kinslow lay out the details of the sexual abuse lawsuit they filed against the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

[with video]

TEMPLE CITY >> A young man has filed a lawsuit against the Catholic Church alleging he was a victim of sexual abuse for more than seven years at the hands of a St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church volunteer, who now works in the Baldwin Park Unified School District.

Robert Reynolds, 23, alleges Timothy Kovacs began molesting him in 2003, when he was 13 years old, and continued abusing him three to eight times a month until he was 20.

“The abuse was horrendous. It included multiple acts of sodomy,” Reynolds’ attorney Michael Kinslow said. “And the perpetrator attempted to convince the child it was a love relationship.”

Kovacs did not respond to phone calls requesting comment.

Kovacs was a volunteer confirmation coordinator at St. Luke’s from 2002 until 2005. He was removed from the post after a complaint was made to the parish alleging “inappropriate conduct with two young adults over the age of 18,” according to a statement from the Archdiocese, which said it was not informed of the 2005 complaint.

Reynolds’ lawsuit — filed against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, former Archbishop Roger Mahoney, St. Luke’s and Kovacs — alleges Kovacs had a history of sexual misconduct. It accuses the Archdiocese of failing to disclose allegations of sexual misconduct made against Kovacs years earlier when he was a student at St. John Seminary — an allegation the Archdiocese refuted in its statement.

Had the Archdiocese reacted differently, the abuse of his client could have been prevented, Kinslow said.

“This abuse commenced after 2002, when the Catholic Church across the United States told us they would do better, that they would protect children and young people,” he said. “Sadly, for Robert Reynolds, my client, that did not happen ... This didn’t need to happen. It happened after the church promised to do better.”

Reynolds and his parents brought the allegations to the Temple City Sheriff’s Department two years ago. The department continues to investigate, according to Ltn. Steven Katz.

“We’re hoping to have some feedback from the D.A.’s office within the next 30 days,” he said.

Reynolds said he decided to come forward to help others.

“I was suffering in silence for a long time,” he said. “It got to the point where it was less about me and more about, what if this happens to someone else. If I can keep this happening to someone else.”

The same year Kovacs was removed from his church position, he was licensed by the state as a marriage and family therapist. He is now the assistant director of early childhood education at Baldwin Park Unified School District. However, he has been placed on administrative leave since Oct. 11, 2013 “pending an investigation unrelated to the District,” according to a statement from the district. District officials would provide no further comment on the matter.

In addition to his position as a “trusted teacher” in the church, Kovacs became a close personal friend of the family, Reynolds’ mother June Sidwell said. She dated Kovacs’ brother and Reynolds’ father lived with Kovacs for a time as a roommate.

“Every adult around him told him to trust Tim, if you have problems, talk to Tim,” she said. “Every person in his life, everyone at church, told him ‘Tim is a good guy’ … He was like family. He called him uncle and Tim called him his nephew.”

“(Tim) destroyed his life,” Sidwell continued. “He loved school, he was in the GATE program. But then he stopped wanting to go to class... He got his GED.”

June said when she had concerns about her son’s sudden change in behavior, she turned to Kovacs, because he was a therapist.

“He told me it was because his father and I were separated,” she said. “He is a professional at manipulating the mind.”

Sidwell said she went to the church with the allegations in 2013, seeking counseling for her son, but then she backed away.

The Archdiocese said in its statement it was notified of the allegations in 2013, but no details were provided. It then immediately informed law enforcement.

Contact: Rebecca.Kimitch@sgvn.com