The Case Against Father Raymond Cepeda

There has been a few alleged victims who came forward claiming that they were sexually abused by Father Raymond Cepeda, who was defrocked on December, 2009.  The latest alleged victim to come out was a 40 year old with the initials P.P.  He claimed that the sexual allegations took place between 1992-1999 at the Santa Barbara Catholic parish in Dededo.  P.P. claimed that he informed Archbishop Apuron and Father Adrian Crisotobal, but was shunned away.  P.P. is being represented by Attorney David Lujan and is suing the Archdiocese for 5 million dollars. According to Pacific News Center:

It is perhaps the longest period of sexual assault that has been reported since the scores of sex abuse lawsuits have been filed, and it appears to be the most recent–the allegations took place between 1992 to 1999.

Filed by now 40-year-old P.P., the alleged sexual assault happened at the Santa Barbara Catholic parish in Dededo—the alleged abuser, now defrocked priest Raymond Cepeda.

The question is.... where was Father Raymond Cepeda assigned during 1992-1999?  In 1997, he was on duty outside the Archdiocese, and he was not assigned to the Dededo parish until 2001.  The following is Father Ray's assignments taken from the Guam Sex Abuse Attorney:

1984-85           Santa Barbara Church                                     Dededo, Guam

1986-87           San Vicente Ferrer                                          Barrigada, Guam

1988-89           Cathedral of Dulce Nombre de Maria            Agana, Guam

1997                On duty outside the Archdiocese                    Agana, Guam

2001-05           Santa Barbara Church                                     Dededo, Guam

2009                Laicized

Furthermore, according to KUAM news dated April 23, 2010 (the bold is mine):

The Guam Catholic Church says abuse allegations against former priest Father Raymond Cepeda date back over five years. Deacon Jeff Barcinas, spokesman for Archbishop Anthony Apuron, tells KUAM News that only one victim that he knows of reported abuse by Fr. Cepeda and he says the victim was not a minor.

Barcinas says the process to laicize Cepeda took several years and required the consent of the Pope. Cepeda, a former priest at the Santa Barbara Church in Dededo, was officially removed from the clergy last December.

"All I know from when the alleged incident was from when the incident was first reported to the Archbishop.  At that time the archbishop did take the necessary action to suspend that time Father Ray Cepeda from any ministry for whoever the victims; and whoever is affected would not be affected by his presence."

I do not think that Deacon Jeff Barcinas (now deceased) would lie that only one sexual abuse was reported against Father Ray Cepeda.  The person whom Father Ray had sexual relations with was an adult.  Nevertheless, Archbishop Apuron removed him anyway.  If the Archbishop would remove a priest from ministry because of a sexual relation with an adult, how much more a minor?  

While it is true that Father Ray broke his vow of celibacy, it is not considered a crime to have sexual relations with a consenting adult in the eyes of civil law. The allegation was not reported to child protective services because the person was an adult. The fact that the incident was not reported to the police also indicates that the sexual act was consensual.