AG Nessell Releases Report on four-year investigation into CSA in the Marquette Diocese

MARQUETTE, MI – On Thursday, October 27th Michigan’s attorney general Dana Nessell released the findings of a four year investigation into child sexual abuse by priests’ incardinated by the Marquette diocese. Of the 44 priests named in the report, 32 died prior to the state’s investigation, and three men have previously pleaded guilty and sit in jail. The remaining men named in the state’s report are either known to be alive, or their whereabouts are unknown. One man was allowed to leave and return home to Poland in 1998, while another escaped to India.

Most of the alleged assaults took place from the 1950’s up to the 1990’s. Many cases will not go to court, as the alleged perpetrator has died, or the statue of limitations on the assault has run out. Many of the documents gathered by the state were seized from the Marquette diocese in 2018 during a search warrant. The diocese has said that they plan to work in full cooperation with the a-g department’s investigation.

To date eleven cases against priests from the seven Michigan dioceses. Two of those cases involve Marquette diocese priests; Gary Jacobs plead guilty to last year in Ontonagon County, and was sentenced to 8 to 15 years in jail. He later plead guilty to similar charges in Dickinson county, receiving a separate 8 to 15 years in jail for that case. The state is still awaiting the extradition of Roy Joseph from India. He is charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct.

Diocese of Marquette – FINAL REPORT – Oct – 2022

The Marquette Diocese’s statement

AG Nessell’s statement