(KMJ) – At a news conference in Bakersfield Monday, 52-year old Syliva Gomez Ray claims she was sexually abused by Monsignor John Esquivel when she was a teenager. Esquivel now serves as a priest at Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Reedley.
The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, adds four other individuals have contacted them about other alleged abuse by Esquivel. But SNAP did not release details of the exact dates of the incidents or any information of the alleged victims. It only states the incidents happened approximately 25-30 years ago in Bakersfield.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno issued this response to these allegations:
The only information currently available to the Diocese is what was contained in the SNAP Media advisory that can be found on their website at http://www.snapnetwork.org/news . Although, the release states that a report was filed with the Attorney General’s Office, the Diocese will follow procedures and report to the Bakersfield Police Department. It is diocesan policy to report all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred.
Monsignor John Esquivel is now the fourth member of the Diocese of Fresno to be accused of sexual abuse since March.
