Kenyan Priest Arrested in San Antonio, Texas for Sexually Assaulting Old Parishioner

A Kenyan-born priest was on Tuesday arrested in San Antonio, Texas for sexually assaulting an elderly member of his parish.

Since 2017, this priest has served in four different Texas churches. However, a church employee and a parishioner recently accused him of committing aggravated sexual assault. To investigate these accusations, the San Antonio Archdiocese procured a private investigator. The investigation concluded that the Kenyan priest had, indeed, assaulted the parishioner on three occasions stemming from November 2022 onwards.

Whilst working at St. Rose Lima Catholic Church in Texas, a parishioner seeking religious guidance had her trust in the priest manipulated. The Kenyan man took advantage of her vulnerability and this was brought to light with the help of a private investigator whose findings were shared with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office on September 19 and led to the subsequent arrest of the priest on September 27.

Following the incident, the archdiocese has displayed swift action by suspending him and encouraging other possible victims to come forward. The Sheriff's Office has responded positively, lauding the church for its accountability and pursuit of justice. Moreover, the Sheriff underlines how the victim's background and current state had rendered her vulnerable, which the priest took advantage of.

If his guilt is established, the priest will be subjected to official excommunication from the church. After completing his prison term, he will be prohibited from officiating masses or presiding over religious ceremonies. If convicted, the accused runs the risk of being imprisoned for a 2 to 20-year period. After his stint behind bars, he can expect to be deported and will likely struggle to obtain authorization to reenter the United States.