Priest arrested in Florida appears in court in Iowa

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A priest who was arrested in Florida last month after being accused of sexually abusing boys appeared in an Iowa court Monday.

Father Leo Riley’s arrest in Florida is linked to alleged abuses in Iowa in the 1980s. He is accused of five counts of sexual abuse.

According to NBC affiliate KWWL, Riley appeared in court in Dubuque, Iowa and was given a $500,000 bond. Riley’s attorney, Guy Cook, said the bail amount was too high and planned to appeal it.

“Father Leo Riley, to those who know him well, is a person of upright moral character, an honest man and a person who would not commit such acts,” Cook said.

If Riley posts bail, he will remain in the custody of the Department of Corrections and would have to be placed in a halfway house, according to KWWL.

Riley served in the Diocese of Venice and was recently assigned to a parish in Port Charlotte.

The complaint details when and where at least four minor altar boys were molested, sexually assaulted and abused by Riley.

According to the complaint, a parent reported the alleged abuse to the principal and “a few weeks later, Riley was transferred to another community.”

Riley was ordained a priest in 1982. By 2002, he was assigned to 17 different parishes within the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

At this point he requested a transfer to Florida and began serving as a priest in the Diocese of Venice.

Riley was also accused of abuse during his time at Port Charlotte. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the allegations.

KWWL reported that Riley’s next court date is scheduled for May 22.

This story includes a report by Brittany Muller.