Fr. Wayland Yoder Brown, Jr.

First complaint in 1969 when Brown was a lay CCD teacher in Savannah. Ordained by Bishop Lessard despite advice from Vocations Director. Complaints through the late 1980s. Returned to ministry after treatment at St. Luke’s 10/1986-6/1987. Permanently removed from ministry in 7/1988. Three men alleged abuse as children by Brown in the 1960s and 1970s. Pled guilty in 9/2002 to abuse of two boys in 1974 while at Catholic University Seminary in DC; sentenced 2/6/2003 to 10 years prison in MD. Laicized in 7/2004. Released from prison in 2008. New suit in 6/2008; settled in 10/2009 for $4.24M. On Sex Offender Registry. Suit filed in 11/2011; settled in 7/2016 for $4.5M. Indicted in 8/2017 in SC for the rape of two boys in the late 1970s and 1980s on trips to SC, while assigned to St. James in Savannah; the boys were students at the parish school. Pled guilty. One victim said the abuse began at age 9, and that Brown put a gun to his head, threatened to kill him, his family and his dog, and that he liked killing small animals. Sentenced in 10/2018 to 20 years in prison. On the  diocese’s list 11/8/2018. Died in prison 6/8/2019. Suit filed in 9/2020. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.