SNAP Addresses Seminary Student Arrested on Child Sex Charges

By Kendall Forward
WTOV
February 8, 2016

http://wtov9.com/news/local/snap-addresses-seminary-student-arrested-on-child-sex-charges

[with video]

Members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) are urging Steubenville's Catholic Diocese to take action to notify potential victims of a former Franciscan student who was arrested in San Diego, CA by federal agents recently.

The victims' rights group showed up at the Diocese office in downtown Steubenville on Monday. They're concerned 23-year-old Joel Wright may have had contact with children in the area, and they are encouraging anyone who may have been victimized to speak up.

Wright was arrested on allegations that he was traveling to Mexico with the intention of adopting or buying a three-year-old girl and raping her.

Wright was studying to be a priest at a seminary college in Columbus, but had previously spent two semesters at Franciscan University.

A Steubenville police report also reveals that Wright was investigated for an online post seeking to pay people to babysit their children.

"We don't understand why he was still studying to be a seminarian," said Judy Jones, SNAP.

"This problem is alive and well," said Carol Zamonski, SNAP.

In a press conference Monday afternoon, SNAP members held up signs to encourage potential victims to come forward.

"They need to announce this and post it on the Diocese website," Zamonski said.

Diocese spokesperson Pat DeFrancis said the church already encourages victims of sexual assault to come forward every week in every publication.

This Friday, the Diocese's bi-weekly newspaper will have a special notification on Wright, who is still under federal investigation.

Wright remains jailed with no bond in California.