DUBUQUE (IA)
WWSB -ABC 7 [Sarasota FL]
May 14, 2024
By Jordan Litwiller
A $500,000 bond has been set for Charlotte County priest Leo Riley, following his initial appearance at the Dubuque County Courthouse on Monday. Father Leo Riley spent the night in jail while his attorney filed paperwork to have his bond significantly reduced.
Riley is facing five counts of sexual abuse allegedly committed during his time as a priest in Iowa. Last month, a local victim came forward saying he was abused by Riley in Charlotte County.
Father Leo Riley has not been charged in Charlotte County, but is back in Dubuque to answer to five counts of capital sexual battery related to reports in the 1980s.
Riley was a past priest at the Resurrection Church in Dubuque, Iowa. In Charlotte County, he was a Priest at Saint Charles Borromeo in Port Charlotte in the early 2000′s, and is currently assigned to San Antonio Catholic Church, also in Port Charlotte.
Following the revelation of the charges in Iowa, a former student at Saint Charles Borromeo school in Port Charlotte came forward to accused Riley of sexual abuse in the early 2000s. Riley was placed on administrative leave from the Diocese of Venice in 2023.
Riley was remanded into custody until bond is posted. If and when he is able to post bond, Riley will be moved to a halfway house and be required to stay in Iowa.
On Tuesday morning, attorney Christopher Beaudeut filed to have the bond reduced. Citing the Archbishop of Dubuque finding no evidence of any bad behavior and the fact that a transfer to Venice was approved, Beaudeut has asked the court to reconsider its bond.
“Any sexual impropriety by improper behavior by Father Riley would be marked as ‘grave cause’ under canon law that would in turn likely lead to a denial by the Bishop of Venice of Father Riley’s request to transfer to Florida,” reads the motion.
Beaudeut is asking for a reduction to $100,000 cash or surety bond.