Yell County Priest Removed for Alleged Sexual Misconduct

By John Lyon
Times Record
September 29, 2014

http://swtimes.com/news/state-news/yell-county-priest-removed-alleged-sexual-misconduct

James Melnick

The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock says a Yell County priest has been removed from the ministry and will not be allowed to function as a priest again because of “credible allegations of sexual misconduct.”

In a homily that Bishop Anthony Taylor delivered Sunday in Russellville, Dardanelle and Danville and that was posted on the the diocese’s website, Taylor said church officials received allegations the previous weekend that Father James Melnick had committed “multiple acts of sexual misconduct with multiple adult victims” over a period of less than a year.

Melnick, 30, was ordained in 2009 and was assigned to Danville and Dardanelle in March 2013, according to the diocese.

“Since there were multiple victims, we seem to be dealing with predatory behavior, not romance,” Taylor said in the post.

Taylor said church officials verified the allegations by interviewing Melnick and some of the victims. He also apologized to any who were harmed by Melnick.

“I sincerely regret the harm you have suffered and in the name of the Church I apologize to you for what Father Melnick has done. Given what was shared with you today and what Father Melnick has admitted to doing, the Church would never allow a priest in situation like this to ever to function as a priest again,” Taylor said in the post.

He encouraged any people who were victims of Melnick to contact the diocese to report the incident and offered the diocese’s help in obtaining counseling. He also asked for prayers for Melnick, his victims and the Catholic Church.

Melnick will be replaced by Father Mauricio Carrasco, Taylor said.

Dennis Lee, the diocese’s chancellor for administrative affairs, said Monday the diocese did not know whether any criminal laws had been broken, but he said “it is clear to Bishop Taylor that Church law has been violated.”

According to his online blog, Melnick is a 2005 graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary at the University of Dallas and a 2009 graduate of the Pontifical North American College. According to the Cabot Public Schools website, Melnick is a 2002 graduate of Cabot High.

The Danville and Dardanelle police chiefs said Monday they are not aware of any reports of alleged criminal activity involving Melnick.

Phone calls to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Danville and St. Augustine Catholic Church in Dardanelle went unanswered Monday afternoon. Melnick did not immediately respond to a message sent to him Monday via his Facebook page.