Churchgoers testify then-Franklin priest pretended inappropriate touching was accidental
This story contains allegations of sexual abuse including sexual abuse against children. The Sexual Assault Center provides free counseling, advocate services and forensic exams at their SAFE Clinic for anyone. To reach the 24/7 crisis line, please call the Sexual Assault Center at 1-800-879-1999 or contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
A detective, two churchgoers and a seminary student testified against a Franklin priest accused of sexual battery at a packed court hearing on April 11.
The detective stated the former priest's church twice spoke with him about his behavior before he was removed from the ministry.
Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza, a former associate pastor at St. Philip Catholic Church, was indicted in June on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, one count of aggravated sexual battery, four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, and four counts of sexual battery.
Prosecutors say there are four minor victims and three adult victims in the case, all of whom are male.
The incidents testified to in court by the adults and the detective each followed a similar pattern. They said Garcia-Mendoza would act in his official capacity as a priest, touch their penis over the pants with his hand, act like it was an accident and apologize.
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Mason said behaving like it was an accident was "how he was able to get away with it for so long.'
A 39-year-old said he first believed Garcia-Mendoza when he said it was an accident. Then it happened again, he tesfified.
'I knew then that it wasn't normal," a translator said on behalf of the man, who testified in Spanish.
Franklin Police Department Det. Andrea Clark testified the four children Garcia-Mendoza is accused of groping were altar servers at St. Philip Catholic Church.
Clark said she learned church leaders had twice spoken to him about his "inappropriate touching" of men when examining his employment file. Clark said one warning from the church came after Garcia-Mendoza allegedly inappropriately touched a sick patient while visiting him at a Rutherford County hospital.
Church officials reported the allegations to the Diocese of Nashville Safe Environment Office and the Tennessee Department of Children's Services in November 2023. The church also hired an outside investigator, a former FBI agent, to investigate the allegations.
The Diocese of Nashville the took action immediately after receiving a report that met the requirements in its Safe Environment Program, Rick Musacchio, executive director at the Tennessee Catholic Conference, said. Garcia-Mendoza was removed from the ministry in November 2023, and the case was turned over to civil authorities, Musacchio said.
Clark said she identified other people during her investigation who said they were inappropriately touched by Garcia-Mendoza, but she was unable to get charges in those cases because they were outside of Williamson County or barred by the statute of limitations.
The hearing on April 11 was to determine how Garcia-Mendoza, 32, will be tried on the charges. His defense attorney Brent Horst argued the charges involving children should be tried separately from the charges involving adults. Judge Deanna B. Johnson, who called the testimony to inform her decision, has not yet ruled.
Garcia-Mendoza is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 11.
Garcia-Mendoza appeared in the Williamson County Courthouse, along with his attorney, wearing an orange jumpsuit. He remains in jail on a $2 million bond. All eight rows in Johnson's courtroom were full throughout the hearing.
Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@tennessean.com.
Come meet me and the rest of The Tennessean's Metro team at Crieve Hall Bagel Co. on Wednesday, April 16, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Witnesses testify about accusations against ex-Franklin priest
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