Cheyenne Police Recommend Charges in Catholic Sex Abuse Case
UPDATE:
Cheyenne police have issued a statement clarifying that they are recommending charges against a Catholic clergyman and another man who was seeking membership in the clergy at the time the alleged offenses occurred.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Cheyenne police have recommended charges against two Catholic clergy members who they say sexually abused boys in the 70’s and 80’s.
The recommendation comes after a year-and-a-half long investigation into allegations that juvenile males were the victims of sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy.
The investigation stemmed from a case initiated in 2002 that was reopened in 2018 when new information was produced and provided to the department by an independent investigation conducted by the Diocese of Cheyenne.
"Detectives utilized this new information to further investigate the 2002 case and in the process found other victims and offenders," said Officer Kevin Malatesta.
"Wyoming is unique in that it does not have a statute of limitations, and therefore these crimes can still be investigated and prosecuted," he added.
Malatesta says affidavits of probable cause have been filed with the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office.
Due to a Wyoming law to protect the identity of victims in sex abuse cases, the names of the suspects are not being released at this time.