Priest Guilty of Sexual Abuse, Accused of Murder
Posted on Dec 11, 2010 4:10pm PST
Reverend John M. Fiala, already facing criminal charges for sexual assault of a child, has now been charged with one count of criminal solicitation to have his accuser murdered and is being held in the Dallas County, Texas, jail cell, as reported by CNN.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the jail's website, the Catholic priest's bail amount is set at $700,000.
Department spokesperson Lisa Block, and the teen's attorney, Tom Rhodes, said that while Fiala, 52, was out on bond for sexual assault of a youth, now 18, he offered $5,000 to an undercover agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety to kill the teenager.
Rhodes said that Fiala met the boy in 2007 and spent the year "grooming him." By 2008, when the child was 16, Fiala had bought him a computer and a car; he also provided private catechism lessons. Rhodes contends that during that time Fiala "gained access to him and began to sexually abuse him once or twice a month, including on church grounds."
It is also alleged that the youth was raped by Fiala at gunpoint.
The alleged abuse took place in both Edwards and Howard counties. Fiala was the administrator of Sacred Heart of Mary in Rocksprings, Texas - in Edwards County.
Fiala threatened the boy both verbally, and via text messages, not to disclose their relationship or he would kill him. He also threatened to kill himself - and they could "go to heaven together" - if their secret was disclosed.
After struggling with his abuse the teen finally went to a school counselor with his allegations. The counselor in turn notified the authorities.
The suit was filed in April naming Fiala, his religious order, the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and the archdioceses of San Antonio, Texas and Omaha, Nebraska; Fiala was sited for sexual abuse, and the latter three for covering up Fiala's abuse record.
The Express News in San Antonio, Texas, reported that all three groups have denied any cover up. The newspaper also reported that Fiala was removed in October of 2008 when former San Antonio Archbishop Jose Gomez, and the religious order, learned that police were investigating Fiala for abuse.
An Edwards County grand jury indicted Fiala on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of aggravated sexual assault by threat. A Howard County grand jury indicted him on two aggravated sexual assault charges.
Rhoads said, "Approximately a week ago, we got an anonymous phone call from someone saying, 'Look, I'm living in a building with this guy, and he's talking about killing this young man', our response was, 'You need to call police.'"
Don Letsinger, Edwards County Sheriff, reported getting a call on November 11 from a man that alleged that Fiala offered him $5,000 to kill the teen. Then the Department of Public Safety had its Texas Ranger Division send an undercover agent to speak with Fiala about the crime he wanted committed - a conversation that was recorded on video and audiotape.
Rhodes said that his client was relieved to learn that Fiala was arrested as he's "still very afraid, but he is hoping that this time Fiala will stay behind bars."
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