Seminarian James R. Funnell
Diocese: Diocese of Baton Rouge LA
Student at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Named publicly as accused by the Baton Rouge diocese on its list in early 2019. Multiple allegations received in 1/2012, 12/2013 and 4/2016 of abuse in the late 1970s while a youth minister in Baker, LA. Went on leave from seminary in 1979 and did not return. Youth minister at St. John Vianney in Bothell WA, Archdiocese of Seattle, 1985 until his arrest in 1989 for the rape at the parish of a teenage boy ages 13-14. The abuse began in 1985 and went on for a year. Additional charges several weeks later after allegations that he showed pornographic films to teenage boys and exposed himself to a 12-year-old boy. Pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years’ probation. Victim said in 2012 that he knew of at least 10-12 others abused by Funnell and believed there were more. Lawsuit settled in 11/2012 for $635K. Funnell reportedly changed his name to James Fionnghael and moved to Virginia Beach VA.
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