Fall River priest involved in sex scandal: Lawyer claims incident from 2013

FALL RIVER – A prominent city priest who is currently on leave while the Fall River Diocese investigates “sexual misconduct” has been accused of sexual assault by at least one other person, and there may be more, an attorney for the alleged victim said.

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who has represented numerous victims of clergy sexual abuse, alleged that the Reverend Jay Mello sexually abused a 28-year-old man in 2013.

“He trusted Father Mello, and Father Mello took advantage of him sexually,” Garabedian said by teleconference at a news conference outside the Fall River Diocese headquarters on Highland Avenue. “This sexual relationship was not consensual. It was a violent incident … and my client fled.”

Mello, pastor of St. Michael and St. Joseph parishes in Fall River and pastor of St. Michael’s School from preschool through 8th grade, was placed on leave Friday while a more recent allegation of what the diocese called “sexual misconduct” is investigated. Mello no longer lives in the St. Michael’s parish rectory and cannot participate in his priestly duties while the investigation is underway.

The diocese stated that the investigation did not involve minors and that Mello had denied the allegations.

Mello has not yet responded to a request for comment.

What we know:Fall River priest suspended over allegations of “sexual misconduct”

Allegation: Mello sexually harassed a man in 2013, and there may have been more

Garabedian’s client is not the same victim investigated in the recent indictments.

Garabedian said the alleged abuse occurred in the rectory of St. Francis Xavier Church in Acushnet. At the time, Mello was assigned to St. Patrick Church in Falmouth but was filling in for another priest in Acushnet.

He said his client met Mello at a gathering at Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham in the early 2010s. He claimed Mello and his client had “common interests” in cooking, and in 2013 Mello invited him to St. Francis Xavier to discuss it further.

“Then the sexual abuse took place.”

Regarding the nature of the attack, Garabedian said: “It was a violent attack, I don’t want to say more at this point.”

Garabedian said his client reported the incident to the diocese.

“My client spoke directly with Bishop (George) Coleman about the sexual abuse,” he said. “My client never heard from Bishop Coleman again after the interview.”

Garabedian claimed his client also reported the incident to Acushnet police and it was “unclear” why it was not investigated; police have not yet responded to a request for comment on whether such a report was filed.

Garabedian said his client met again with “a church investigator” ten years later, in 2023. At the time, the client claimed he knew two other people with whom Mello had also had inappropriate contact.

Garabedian said this second attempt to launch an investigation also yielded no results.

“This is another example of the Diocese of Fall River and the Catholic Church covering up sexual abuse and not caring for victims of sexual abuse,” Garabedian said.

Garabedian said his client may not be able to file a lawsuit against the diocese or Mello.

“It appears that the statute of limitations has expired – and that is a whole other issue where the statute of limitations in Massachusetts needs to be changed to allow victims of sexual abuse to bring claims if necessary,” he said.

He urged people who had inappropriate contact with clergy to speak to the police first.

Robert Hoatson, a former priest from Newark, New Jersey, and co-founder and president of the Road to Recovery support group for victims of sexual abuse, stood outside Bishop Edgar da Cunha’s Highland Avenue home and called for similar measures.

“I urge anyone in Fall River who has ever been abused, taken advantage of or manipulated by this man, Father Jay Mello, to go to the police … and report it,” Hoatson said.

“Do not approach the Catholic Church at any cost, for you will only experience the corruption that is rampant within it.”

“Credibly accused”:Three more priests from the Fall River diocese criticized for abuse allegations

The diocese does not comment on details; calls on the victims to come forward

The Fall River Diocese declined to comment on the details of Garabedian’s allegations.

“While the investigation is ongoing, the diocese is unable to provide further comment on the case,” said a statement from communications director John Kearns. “Once the investigation is complete, all information, including any allegations, will be submitted to the Ministerial Review Board for evaluation.”

According to the diocese, the panel is a group of lay people and clergy who “act as a confidential advisory body to advise the bishop on alleged clergy misconduct, regardless of when that misconduct is alleged to have occurred. This includes misconduct related to the sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults, as well as other forms of misconduct.”

According to a document revised in May 2023, the board will consist of nine members, at least five of whom will be appointed by the bishop for a five-year term.

The diocese stated that “anyone with concerns about the conduct of a priest, staff member or volunteer of the diocese should contact law enforcement and/or Carolyn Shipp, the diocesan director of safe environment and victim services, at 508-985-6508, via email at [email protected], or through our website at https://www.fallriverdiocese.org/safe-environment/report-an-incident-of-abuse.”

Mello resigns from Diman School Board

In 2019, Mello was appointed chaplain of the Fall River Police Department, but because he is unable to perform public priestly duties during the investigation, he is unable to perform that role.

Mello, a graduate of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, also served on the regional school board. Mayor Paul Coogan confirmed Wednesday that he had spoken with Mello and that he had submitted his resignation from the council to him that morning.

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