Latest news with #JaimeArriaga
CBS News
09-04-2025
- CBS News
LA County Catholic priest faces child sexual abuse charges
A Catholic priest from Downey remains in custody after Los Angeles County prosecutors charged him with several counts of child sexual abuse on Monday. Jaime Arriaga, 41, was remanded without bail after pleading not guilty to six felony counts related to the case. Most of the charges from the alleged sexual abuse happened in early February, according to court records. However, prosecutors also charged him with an assault that allegedly happened more than a month later on March 22. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said Arriaga started presiding at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in January 2024 as a transitional deacon before being ordained as a priest six months later. The archdiocese added that it learned about the allegations on April 2. It immediately dismissed Arriaga from the ministry and reported the case to investigators. Arriaga surrendered himself to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department the following day, according to the archdiocese. "The Archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and the reporting and prevention of abuse. Allegations of misconduct against anyone serving in the Archdiocese are reported to law enforcement, fully investigated and, under the Zero-Tolerance Policy, anyone who is found to have harmed a minor is permanently removed from any capacity in the Archdiocese," officials said in a statement. Last October, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay $880 million to settle sex abuse claims made by more than 1,300 alleged victims dating back to the 1940s. The settlement brings the overall amount the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has paid out to settle sex abuse lawsuits to nearly $1.5 billion, following a $660 million settlement with about 500 alleged victims in 2007. "We encourage anyone who may have experienced any misconduct involving Fr. Arriaga to please contact law enforcement and the Office of Victims Assistance Ministry at (213) 637-7650 or toll-free number (800)-355-2545. We offer our prayers for everyone impacted by this matter," the archdiocese said in a statement.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Priest charged with child molestation, removed from Downey parish by Archdiocese of L.A.
A Roman Catholic priest is facing five felony counts of child molestation and was removed from his Downey parish after being arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, records and officials said. Father Jaime Arriaga, 41, remains in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail on no bail after pleading not guilty Monday to assault with intent to commit a felony and four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a person 14 to 15 by a person at least a decade older, according to court records. "The archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and reporting the prevention of abuse,' the Archdiocese said in a statement explaining its officials reported the priest to authorities. Read more: Youth soccer coach charged with murder in death of 13-year-old boy Arriaga, who also goes by Jaime Arriaga Pedroza, was surrendered to deputies last Thursday and arrested on suspicion of assault on a minor to commit a sexual offense. According to the charges, one of the alleged lewd acts occurred Feb. 8 and three on Feb. 9, while the assault with intent to commit a felony upon a minor involved a sexual offense. L.A. County Sheriff's Capt. Erick Kim said the charges involve one victim, but Special Victims Unit detectives are seeking additional potential victims. Clergy sex abuse scandals have rocked Catholic churches across the world, but few places have seen the financial toll of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Last October, the Archdiocese agreed to a record $880-million civil settlement with victims, bringing the payout by the largest diocese in the nation to more than $1.5 billion. The number of people alleging abuse now stands at nearly 2,500. The list of priests who abused within the Archdiocese includes more than 500 names, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. But in the wake of the massive scandal that exposed decades of cover-up, new allegations have become rare. According to the Archdiocese, Arriaga was ordained in June 2024 and served as associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Downey. Read more: In unprecedented payout, L.A. County will settle sex abuse claims for $4 billion The Archdiocese of L.A. released a statement saying it received a report alleging misconduct on April 2. Arriaga was removed from ministry and surrendered to L.A. County Sheriff's deputies the following day. In a statement read this past weekend at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at St. Louis of France in La Puente — where Arriaga had served before being ordained — the Archdiocese informed parishioners that the priest had 'been removed from ministry as a result of a recent report of alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor..." Parishioners were informed that the Archdiocese is cooperating with law enforcement. Links to a profile of the priest, including his photo, were removed from the Archdiocese website. According to information previously posted by the Archdiocese, Arraiga is a native of Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, in Mexico. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
08-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Priest charged with child molestation, removed from Downey parish by Archdiocese of L.A.
A Roman Catholic priest is facing five felony counts of child molestation and was removed from his Downey parish after being arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, records and officials said. Father Jaime Arriaga, 41, remains in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail on no bail after pleading not guilty Monday to assault with intent to commit a felony and four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a person 14 to 15 by a person at least a decade older, according to court records. 'The archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and reporting the prevention of abuse,' the Archdiocese said in a statement explaining its officials reported the priest to authorities. Arriaga, who also goes by Jaime Arriaga Pedroza, was surrendered to deputies last Thursday and arrested on suspicion of assault on a minor to commit a sexual offense. According to the charges, one of the alleged lewd acts occurred Feb. 8 and three on Feb. 9, while the assault with intent to commit a felony upon a minor involved a sexual offense. L.A. County Sheriff's Capt. Erick Kim said the charges involve one victim, but Special Victims Unit detectives are seeking additional potential victims. Clergy sex abuse scandals have rocked Catholic churches across the world, but few places have seen the financial toll of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Last October, the Archdiocese agreed to a record $880-million civil settlement with victims, bringing the payout by the largest diocese in the nation to more than $1.5 billion. The number of people alleging abuse now stands at nearly 2,500. The list of priests who abused within the Archdiocese includes more than 500 names, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. But in the wake of the massive scandal that exposed decades of cover-up, new allegations have become rare. According to the Archdiocese, Arriaga was ordained in June 2024 and served as associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Downey. The Archdiocese of L.A. released a statement saying it received a report alleging misconduct on April 2. Arriaga was removed from ministry and surrendered to L.A. County Sheriff's deputies the following day. In a statement read this past weekend at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at St. Louis of France in La Puente — where Arriaga had served before being ordained — the Archdiocese informed parishioners that the priest had 'been removed from ministry as a result of a recent report of alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor...' Parishioners were informed that the Archdiocese is cooperating with law enforcement. Links to a profile of the priest, including his photo, were removed from the Archdiocese website. According to information previously posted by the Archdiocese, Arraiga is a native of Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, in Mexico.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
California priest arrested for sex misconduct with a minor
A Roman Catholic priest serving in Downey has been arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. The Rev. Jaime Arriaga, who was ordained in June of last year, surrendered to law enforcement on Thursday, the day after the Archdiocese of Los Angeles received a report 'alleging sexual misconduct involving a minor,' church officials said in a statement. The Archdiocese reported the allegation to law enforcement and removed Arriaga from ministry, officials said. He had been serving as a diocesan priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Downey since January 2024, first as a transitional deacon and then as a priest, though he has since been scrubbed from the Archdiocese's website. Angelus, the news arm of the Archdiocese, said Arriaga, 41, also served at St. Louis of France in La Puente prior to his ordination. 'The Archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and the reporting and prevention of abuse,' church officials said in a statement. 'Allegations of misconduct against anyone serving in the Archdiocese are reported to law enforcement, fully investigated and, under the Zero-Tolerance Policy, anyone who is found to have harmed a minor is permanently removed from any capacity in the Archdiocese. ' Jail records show Arriaga is being held without bail at Men's Central Jail. His next appearance in court is scheduled for June 5. Anyone with information about Arriaga is asked to call law enforcement. Alternatively, tipsters can reach out to the Office of Victims Assistance Ministry at 213-637-7650 or toll-free number 800-355-2545. 'We offer our prayers for everyone impacted by this matter,' church officials said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
