Charges Dropped against Priest Accused of Abuse

St. Louis Review
June 18, 2015

http://stlouisreview.com/article/2015-06-18/charges-dropped

The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office dismissed criminal charges June 17 against a former associate pastor at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis Parish in the Central West End of St. Louis.

Father Xiu Hui "Joseph" Jiang was charged April 18, 2014, in St. Louis with two felony counts of statutory sodomy of a minor under the age of 14. The allegation of abuse was reported through the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. The archdiocese noted that the priest's canonical privileges had been revoked while the allegations were being considered. The archdiocese also said it was fully cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation.

In 2012, Father Jiang was accused of a separate incident of misconduct with a high school aged minor in Lincoln County and was placed on leave at the time. Those criminal charges were dismissed in November 2013, when the court determined that the evidence established the priest had never been alone with the child; a civil suit against the priest is pending. The archdiocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection had notified the Missouri Division of Family Services immediately upon learning of the allegations in 2012.

Father Jiang is a native of Shandong, China. He was ordained in St. Louis in 2010. The Archdiocese said Father Jiang's canonical status will be reviewed.