Owensboro Priest Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor

SurfKY
June 8, 2012

http://surfky.com/index.php/communities/68-local-owensboro-top-news/15839-owensboro-priest-charged-with-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor

OWENSBORO, KY (6/8/12) - According to an Owensboro Police Department press release today, an investigation that began in February of 2011 has resulted in the arrest and indictment of 72-year-old Father Louis F Piskula. The alleged victim claims that he was sexually abused in 1978 by Piskula, who was a priest at Blessed Mother Church.

A Detective completed an investigation and forwarded all case information to the Daviess County Grand Jury, where Piskula was indicted on charges of: Sodomy in the 1st Degree, (victim less than 12 years of age)–Class A Felony and Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree (victim less than 12 years of age)–Class C Felony. The Indictment Warrant was served on Piskula this morning, and he is lodged in the Daviess County Detention Center.

The Diocese of Owensboro provided SurfKY News with a press release that claims the alleged victim approached the diocese last year concerning the matter:

“In accord with the policy of the diocese the allegation was promptly reported to the Daviess County Commonwealth Attorney. The diocese has cooperated fully in the investigation that followed. Likewise the diocese has offered to provide counseling services to the victim.”

“Louis Piskula, ordained in 1975, had not been in any ministerial assignment since 2002 in accord with the policies enacted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Piskula had been in a restricted assignment with the diocese from 1994-2002. From 1975 until 1994 Piskula had served as an associate pastor in: St. Stephen Cathedral, Owensboro; Blessed Mother, Owensboro; St. Leo, Murray; Newman Center, Murray; St. John the Evangelist, Paducah; St. Mary of the Woods, Whitesville; and St. Joseph Monastery, Whitesville.”

“Now that an indictment has been returned by the Daviess County Grand Jury, the Diocese of Owensboro will provide no further comment.”

OPD had no comment beyond their press release, as is their policy once indictments have been handed down from the Grand Jury.

Commonwealth Attorney Bruce Keugel told SurfKY News that his office had no additional information outside of the indictment, which was “succinctly set forth in the Police Department’s release . . . we will save our comments for court. We’ve got an ethical consideration for the defendant, the accused to receive a fair trial.”

Casey Piscitelli

SurfKY News