Advocacy Group for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse Urge Judge to Uphold Sentence

SNAP
September 19, 2019

https://www.snapnetwork.org/advocacy_group_survivors_clergy_sexual_abuse_urge_judge_uphold_sentence

A Catholic priest, who pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse and received the maximum term, will have his petition for reconsideration of the sentence heard tomorrow.

Fr. Michael Guidry admitted his guilt in March and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with three years suspended, the following month. In May Fr. Guidry filed a motion for reconsideration of his sentence, which will be heard today.

Our hearts go out to Oliver Peyton and his family. The priest’s maximum prison sentence no doubt offered this survivor and those who love him some small degree of healing. Now, having believed the matter to be over and done with, they are once again subjected to a stressful wait while the sentence is reconsidered.

We were grateful that Judge Alonzo Harris gave Fr. Guidry the maximum prison term, since Oliver received a life sentence when the cleric betrayed his trust and assaulted him. The judge appeared to recognize the great harm inflicted on a victim when he said at sentencing that “there are certain things in life we just can’t tolerate.”

Our hope is that Judge Harris will uphold Fr. Guidry’s sentence and again show himself to be a champion for survivors.

CONTACT: Richard Windmann, SNAP Louisiana (louisiana@snapnetwork.org, 682-710-1965), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator (925-708-6175, msakoda@snapnetwork.org), Tim Lennon, SNAP President (415-313-5820, tlennon@snapnetwork.org), Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, zhiner@snapnetwork.org)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)