Black Collar Crime Round-Up: July 19, 2012
Marukudiyil C. Velan, a.k.a. Velanmarukudiyil J. Christudas • Alberto Zacarias Cordero Liriano
Trial begins: Stephen Douglas Berry, 39, former associate pastor, New Life Baptist Church, Union County, South Carolina, charged in 2011 with second-degree criminal sexual conduct (i.e., sexual intercourse) with a 15-year-old girl between May and November, 2010, and charged again in early 2012 with criminal sexual conduct involving a “mentally defective” person. (Berry was reportedly the subject of an even earlier criminal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct with an adult female, who decided not to press charges.) WSPA reports that Berry, free on bond on the earlier charge, was originally confined to house arrest, “and could only leave home to go to church, meet his attorney or go to the doctor and for no more than 3 hours,” but “got the bond amended to allow Berry to look for a job between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.,” adding that the local sheriff “says it was this ‘freedom to roam’ that may have allowed him to commit other crimes such as the new alleged sexual assault.” WSPA also adds that Berry gave the news station a statement: “I am absolutely innocent of all charges and look forward to proving my innocence in court. I am so appreciate [sic] the support from all the people who have loved me and supported me and allowed me to see Christ through them.” Story: Conservative Babylon, March 26, 2011; WSPA, July 17, 2012
Placed on administrative leave: Dennis Druggan, president & rector, St. Lawrence Seminary High School (blog), “a residential college preparatory in a living Catholic community nurturing mature, well-rounded men of faith, who prepare for a life of ministry as priest, religious and lay leaders in the Church and world,” Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin, in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct which “revolve around a minor at St. Labre Indian School” in Ashland, Montana, where Druggan was pastor and co-executive director, “from more than 25 years ago,” reports Fox 11. Druggan’s page on the school website, which has already been deleted (cache), read: “My Long-term Vision for St. Lawrence Seminary is… To maintain the high standards of moral, academic and spiritual development of our students that have been developed by our Capuchin founders almost one hundred and fifty years ago while not losing sight of our mission of nurturing vocational discernment and leadership formation for the Catholic Church.” Druggan’s Facebook profile shows his relationship status as: “It’s complicated.” Story: Fox 11, July 16, 2012
Sentenced: Alan R. Jonas, 65, former CPA and finance committee chairman, First Baptist Church of Southington, Connecticut, to 12 years in prison, suspended after eight years served, followed by five years’ probation, and ordered “to pay restitution with the amount to be determined through the probation process,” according to the State of Connecticut DCJ, which continues: “According to an arrest warrant affidavit prepared by an Inspector from the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, from April 2009 until February 2010, Mr. Jonas embezzled approximately $72,000 from an 82-year-old woman who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and for whom he served as court-appointed conservator. He was accused of writing 35 checks to himself, leaving the woman’s estate $65,000 in debt, the warrant states.
“According to a separate arrest warrant affidavit prepared by New Britain Police, Mr. Jonas wrote 96 checks totaling approximately $35,255 to himself from January 2007 to February 2010 while serving as the treasurer of a non-profit music group. A third arrest warrant affidavit, prepared by Southington Police, charged that Mr. Jonas embezzled more than $394,000 by writing some 100 checks from November 2004 to October 2008 as the chairman of the finance committee of the First Baptist Church in Southington.” Story: Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice, July 17, 2012
Sued: private, Jesuit Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut; the Society of Jesus (an all-male Roman Catholic order a.k.a. “God’s Marines,” a.k.a. “The Company”); and former Fairfield chaplain Paul Carrier; in the matter of Douglas Perlitz, now 42, Fairfield alumnus and missionary to Haiti, where he founded a school, Project Pierre Toussaint — and where he allegedly raped two dozen or more homeless Haitian boys; “allegedly,” because, in August, 2010, Perlitz pleaded guilty to only one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct (involving eight victims), for which he was sentenced to the maximum 19 years and seven months in prison, followed by ten years’ supervised release. Twenty-three Haitian nationals (so far) have joined the lawsuit “alleging the defendants did nothing to stop the school’s former director from sexually abusing them over a 10-year period,” and “are liable for the abuse … suffered at the hands of Douglas Perlitz,” according to the Boston Globe, which adds that “Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer for the alleged victim and the other men who have filed lawsuits … said each of the 23 plaintiffs in the civil suits are [sic] seeking $20 million in damages, and he is investigating additional claims.” Story: Conservative Babylon, December 30, 2010; Boston Globe, July 17, 2012
Arrested: Tim Udinski, 43, former head boys’ lacrosse coach (2010-11), Lansdale Catholic High School (“a learning community teaching values for life through a formative Catholic education”), Lansdale, Pennsylvania, “for stalking and harassment charges,” announced Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, stemming “from the defendant deliberately making false accusations of sexual misconduct against officials associated with Lansdale Catholic High School. Between October 19, 2011 and May 31, 2012, on seven separate occasions, Udinski sent false claims of sexual abuse in anonymous emails to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In these emails, he deliberately and falsely claimed that both the Lansdale Catholic football and lacrosse coaches were engaged in sexual solicitation of players on their respective teams. Udinski also accused the Lansdale Catholic Principal of failing to take any action regarding the alleged misconduct.
“Tim Udinski was the former head lacrosse coach at Lansdale Catholic High School. During his tenure at the school, Udinski was the target of unfounded accusations. While coaching the 2011 lacrosse season, Lansdale Catholic relieved Udinski of his duties after he engaged in repeated heated arguments with players and staff. Principal Tim Quinn reported that Udinski was extremely upset about his firing.
“Subsequent to Udinski’s firing, on October 19, 2011, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia received an anonymous email alleging that the head football coach had sexually solicited a player. The email included an accusation that the Principal, himself a former football player at Lansdale Catholic, had a history of ignoring any complaints about the coach.
“On March 12, and March 14, 2012 the Archdiocese received two anonymous emails complaining that Lansdale Catholic’s head lacrosse coach had been involved in a sexual assault while attending Lehigh University. Again on March 15, 2012 the Archdiocese received an anonymous email threatening to inform the media about the allegations involving the lacrosse coach. This email was followed by numerous anonymous emails on March 22, to the Archdiocese and local media outlets concerning wrongdoing at Lansdale Catholic High School.
“On May 9, 2012, the Archdiocese received an anonymous email stating that the coach sexually assaulted a lacrosse player at Lansdale Catholic. He was also accused of inviting the player to the shore and offering him beer. The complaint included another accusation that the Principal was ignoring the complaints. On May 31, 2012, another anonymous communication was sent to the Archdiocese again referencing the lacrosse coach attempting to lure his players to the shore to engage in sexual activity. Principal Quinn was accused of covering up. The email demanded the principal’s resignation and jail time for the coach.
“The Archdiocese of Philadelphia notified Montgomery County Law Enforcement Officials of the allegations. The Montgomery County Detective Bureau undertook an investigation of these serious accusations. Twelve county detectives and staff members were tasked with investigating these repeated, anonymous reports of sexual abuse against two high school coaches. Detectives devoted in excess of 184 hours to investigating the accusations against the coaches. During the inquiry, law enforcement officers interviewed 97 people and executed 10 court orders and search warrants. At the conclusion of an exhaustive and comprehensive investigation, detectives and prosecutors concluded that the allegations against both coaches were false and unfounded. The estimated cost to Montgomery County taxpayers to investigate these multiple false reports was over $8250.00. The cost to the men subjected to the false accusations is impossible to measure.
“Through the investigation Montgomery County Detectives developed Tim Udinski as the subject who sent the anonymous communications to the Archdiocese. On June 21, 2012, Detectives went to Udinski’s residence to interview him about this case. Udinski admitted to sending the seven anonymous emails to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Udinski stated that all the complaints were untrue. He admitted he specifically targeted the Lansdale Catholic football coach and lacrosse coach. Udinski told detectives that he made these false reports because, “I was mad at the school for the way I was treated. I was just furious.”
“The defendant was video arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Harold Borak today and bail was set at $25,000.00 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 27, 2012 at 10:30 A.M.” See also: Letter to Lansdale Catholic Parents, July 17, 2012
Charged: Marukudiyil C. Velan, a.k.a. Velanmarukudiyil J. Christudas, a.k.a. “Father Chris,” 64, Roman Catholic priest, Church of the Visitation, Brick Township, New Jersey, with one count each of sexual misconduct involving an adult, sexual misconduct involving a minor and endangering the welfare of a child. Velan is accused of sexually touching a female parishioner and her underage daughter while visiting their home. He is currently being held on $75,000 bail. Story: NBC New York, July 16, 2012; Catholic Diocese of Trenton, July 16, 2012
Arrested: Alberto Zacarias Cordero Liriano, Roman Catholic priest, Diocese of La Vega, Dominican Republic, on suspicion of raping a 15-year-old girl. AP notes: “Hundreds of parishioners and several priests protested in front of the Justice Department building to show their support for Zacarias.” Story: AP, July 18, 2012
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[...] been released and is on electronic monitoring.” Story: Conservative Babylon, March 26, 2011; Conservative Babylon, July 19, 2012; WSPA, July 20, [...]