Fr. Jason E. Sigler

Ordained for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, Canada. Sent to the Lansing diocese in 1968 for health reasons. Dismissed from Lansing in 1970 due to “homosexual activity” with boys. Law enforcement agreed not to prosecute if Sigler left the area permanently. Accepted temporarily by the Detroit archdiocese on the condition that he receive psychiatric help. Sent to the Paracletes in NM for treatment multiple times in the 1960s-1970s; worked in NM parishes; abused again. Asked for and was accepted to return to active ministry in the Diocese of Lansing in 9/1974. Again abused young boys, including rape. One survivor of abuse by Sigler at St. Robert’s Catholic School in Flushing MI reported contracting venereal warts from Sigler, resulting in numerous surgeries. When this boy reported the abuse to the school principal he allegedly received a “paddling.” Sigler worked 1975-1976 in a Detroit parish. Returned to ministry in NM in 2/1976. Left active ministry in 1/1982 and married a woman in Houston TX, then returned to NM. In NM 17 men settled for $13M in 1993. Pleaded guilty in 1983 to the sexual abuse of a child; got probation and counseling. Laicized in 2/1999. Many new allegations in MI in 2002. Arrested and convicted twice in MI in 2003. Sentenced to 7-15 years. Included in new civil suits. Released in 5/2012 from jail and 11/2013 from probation. Living in Albuquerque NM in 2014; said in 8/2014 to be living with his wife in Taylor Ranch. On the NM sex offender registry. Named in at least one new civil suit filed in 8/2014. Another suit filed in 5/2016 claims alleged abuse of a 10- or 11-year-old Fort Sumner NM altar boy in 1974. As of 2017 accused of sexually abusing 57 children, named in lawsuits by 45.  A lawsuit filed in 7/2017 claims abuse of a boy in a Las Vegas NM parish the late 1970s for 2 years. In 9/2018 a man alleged Sigler violently abused him, along with Fr. Robert Burkholder, when he was age 10-11 during 1968-1969.  Included on the Santa Fe archdiocese list 9/12/2017.  On the Lansing diocese’s list 9/27/2019. On Detroit’s list 6/10/2019. Still living in Albuquerque as of 5/2023. Included in the MI Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing Report 12/16/24.