Catholic priest pleads guilty to sex trafficking and possession of child porn; SNAP calls on the Diocese to do outreach
A Catholic priest from the Diocese of Cleveland pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking of a minor and child pornography. He will be sentenced in November and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. However, his victims still need to be helped. SNAP calls on the Diocese to do outreach to parishioners.
Fr. Robert D. McWilliams, 41, of Strongsville, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count each of transportation of child pornography, receipt and distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.
We applaud law enforcement and the courts for bringing this case to a conclusion, and we hope that these survivors, along with their families, are getting the help that they need. As SNAP Board President Shaun Dougherty said, ‘they are lifelong victims now.’ It is up to Catholic officials in Cleveland to do further outreach to parishioners since we know that the priest found some of the victims at the church he attended during his time in seminary. The Diocese must do outreach to every church and facility where the priest worked, even as a seminarian, and beg victims and witnesses to report to law enforcement.
Child pornography involves the abuse of real children. It is a devastating crime that can lead to a lifetime of pain. We hope that the authorities will be able to help identify those youngsters that were so horribly exploited and make sure that they are safe.
Secular investigations have proven to be the most effective way to identify predators and their victims. They provide the best pathway to justice. We acknowledge that children and vulnerable adults are at risk every day unless we receive full cooperation, accountability, and transparency from Catholic officials. Until then, we watch these Church leaders selfishly sit on secrets about child molesting clerics that police and prosecutors could use to pursue and prosecute these criminals.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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