Former Tennessee priest faces further sexual assault charges

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRN) – A former Franklin priest who was fired from the ministry in January and charged with multiple counts in February has now been charged with sexual assault, authorities said.

The Catholic Diocese of Nashville said the Rev. Juan Carlos Garcia had been an assistant pastor at St. Philip Catholic Church in Franklin but was removed from office and from active ministry while Franklin police investigated a teenager’s report of inappropriate touching by the priest.

On February 9, the diocese announced that Garcia had been indicted by the Williamson County grand jury on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, one count of aggravated sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault by an authority figure, and two counts of sexual assault.

Nearly four months later, on June 5, the grand jury issued an additional indictment, charging the former priest – now called Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza by police – with two additional counts of sexual abuse.

As of Friday, June 14, the 31-year-old is reportedly being held in the Williamson County Jail on $2 million bail.

Anyone with further information about the former priest is asked to contact Detective Andrea Clark at the Franklin Police Department at 615-476-2809 or [email protected].

Officials say the case is being prosecuted by the 21st Judicial District Attorney General’s Office. For more information on victim resources, visit this link.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Diocese of Nashville has not yet commented on the additional charges in the latest indictment.