September 29, 2004
Catholic Priest Fernando Lopez is Arrested for Alleged Sodomite Molestations
Priest at St. Thomas the Apostle in Koreatownis accused of abusing two boys and an older teen.
Police arrested a Catholic priest Tuesday on suspicion of molesting two boys from his church, St. Thomas the Apostle in Koreatown, and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old parishioner. The incidents began in 2001, when Father Fernando Lopez was transferred from a church in Rome, Italy, to St. Thomas the Apostle parish, and continued through the first half of this year, said Lt. Dennis Shirey, head of the Los Angeles Police Department's child protection section. Investigators believe that the relationships with the boys, ages 14 and 15, and the older teenager did not overlap, Shirey said. Police also think others might have been victimized during the nearly four years Lopez was an associate pastor at St. Thomas. Posted by Editor at September 29, 2004 03:58 PM