12 Accused in This Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City List Updated 01.21.20
- Associated Press 03.31.03
- Daily Oklahoman 04.01.03
- Associated Press 04.04.03
- Daily Oklahoman 07.12.03
- Alva Review-Courier 05.15.05
- SCHOVANEC v ARCHDIOCESE OF OKLAHOMA CITY Cause No 102,028, Supreme Court of Oklahoma 07.01.08
- Alva Review-Courier 01.29.10
- Archdiocese of Kansas City KS List 01.25.19
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City List 10.03.19
Fr. David Cowden
Named publicly as credibly accused by the archdiocese on its list 10/3/19. Removed from ministry 10/31/06. Died 3/23/15.
Fr. Stephen D. Cude
A man claimed in a lawsuit filed in 11/10 that Cude sexually abused him as a boy St. Joseph Old Cathedral in Oklahoma City. Cude left the priesthood in 1998. Cude's personal website in 2010 said he was a parish priest for 13 years, a hospital chaplain for about 16 years at OK Health Center in OK City, and a part-time chaplain at BIshop McGuinness High School. On the archdiocese's list of credibly accused 10/3/19. It notes that Cude's faculties were removed 5/15/19.
Deacon Robert L. Foster
Status: Convicted
Diocese: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City OK
Foster, a deacon for 18 years and retired Judge, was charged in 1997 with sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl when she and her younger sister stayed overnight at his home. He also tried to get her to let him take pictures of her. The girl was an altar server at Foster's parish. He pleaded no contest in 1998 and got a 5 year deferred adjudication. In 2000, he was charged with stalking the girl; sentence was revised to 5 years probation. Died in 2003.
Fr. David Imming
Accused in a 2003 suit of abuse of a boy 20 years prior. It claimed the archdiocese had forced Imming to resign and removed his privileges because of a complaint of abuse of a different boy during the same time as the plaintiff's abuse. At least six other accusers came forward. Imming "retired" in 2001. Suit dismissed 1/10. On the Kansas City KS archdiocese's list 1/25/19. It notes more than one allegation of abuse, occurring in 1980 in OK. Never assigned to KC. On OK City list 10/3/19; it notes faculties removed 5/13/02. Laicized 6/10/11.
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Daniel C. Keohane
A woman alleged in a lawsuit that her father abused her and she acquired multiple personality disorder, and that she was molested by Keohane 1967-70 when she sought counseling from him. She claimed repressed memory until 1987. Suit dismissed on SOL by US District Court in Tulsa; she appealed. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2/92 that her diagnosis did not stop the SOL because she knew she had psychological problems but still graduated from college with honors and ran own business for years. Keohane died in 1/99.
Fr. Marvin Francis Leven
Named publicly as accused by the diocese in 1/20 after allegations in two cases were substantiated by the diocese's review board. In 1993 the diocese received an allegation that Leven sexually abused a minor, age 15, and again when the alleged victim was a young adult at St. John the Baptist in Edmond. In 1995 Leven was sent to St. Luke Institute for evaluation; outpatient therapy was recommended along with no unsupervised contact with minors. Returned to ministry. A second allegation surfaced at some point. Leven retired in 1999; worked in retirement as a hospital chaplain until 2013. Faculties removed 1/15/20.
Fr. Albert Mantica
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City on its list 10/3/19. Noted to be a priest of the Diocese of Albany, assigned to Oklahoma City 1965-67. Died 2/16/97.
Fr. James J. Mickus
Suspended in 2002 after an an allegation that he abused a male minor 20 years prior. Mickus filed a defamation suit against his accuser, which was dismissed in 2003. Archdiocesan review board deemed the allegation unsubstantiated. Mickus returned to ministry. Pastor of two parishes when suspended in 11/18; Archdiocese had announced in 8/18 that it was reviewing allegations from 1960-2018. Included on the archdiocese's 10/3/19 list of those with substantiated allegations. Faculties suspended. Mickus attorney in 3/20 said the priest had a "consensual romantic relationship" with his accuser, who he maintained was an adult at the time.
Fr. Papa-Rao Pasala
From the Diocese of Nellore, India. Assigned for a time in 2001 to the Diocese of Oklahoma City. The diocese announced in 12/19 that Pasala had substantiated allegations against him of the sexual abuse of a 17-year-old girl in 2001. He was sent back to India in 12/01 after admitting to his behavior. He had returned to the U.S. and from 2014 was working in parishes in the Diocese of Baker, OR. He was removed from ministry in 12/6/19 after the old allegations were discovered by a law firm in OK reviewing files. Again sent back to India.
Fr. Edd Prather
Named publicly as credibly accused by the archdiocese on its list 10/3/19. It notes that Prather was without assignment in the Archdiocese after 5/88. He died 11/26/96.
Deacon Sid Starr
Deacon. Named publicly as credibly accused by the diocese on its list 10/2/19. Permanently removed from active ministry in 2009. Arrested in 2011 related to "misconduct" with a minor; charge dismissed 2012.
Fr. Benjamin Zoeller
Removed from ministry in 2002 due to allegations deemed credible. Laicized in 2011. Assignments included parishes in Tusla, Norman, Watonga and OK City. Pastor in Moore 1974-84, moved to Weatherford parish 1984-85, OK City 1985-96, Yukon 1996-01, per archdiocese. Report to archdiocese in 2006 of abuse in 1985 by Zoeller of a 16-year-old boy who attended St. Patrick's parish. In 8/18 his accuser contacted the archdiocese, which then found credible allegations in Zoeller's file and initiated an investigation. Zoeller was discovered volunteering at a parish in 8/18. On the archdiocese's list of credibly accused 10/3/19.