Antonio Cortes
Ordained: ca. 1996
Father Antonio Cortes was arrested in 2009 after a 16-year-old boy reported that Cortes had served him with alcohol and sexually abused him. Police subsequently arrested Cortes and, upon searching his possession, found child pornography and other evidence confirming the crime. In March 2011, Cortes pled no contest to the charges and was sentenced to a year in prison and three years of probation. Following his release from prison in 2012, Cortes fled the country to Jalisco, Mexico.
Father Cortes's Assignments
| Placement | City/State | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart | Salinas, CA | 1996..2002 |
| Diocesan Vocations Board | Monterey, CA | 2001..2005 |
| St. Theodore's | Gonzales, CA | 2002..2003 |
| Holy Trinity | Greenfield, CA | 2003..2007 |
| St. Mary of the Nativity | Salinas, CA | 2007..2009 |
| On leave following arrest | 2009..2012 | |
| Released from prison, reportedly fled back to Jalisco, Mexico | 2012..onward |
Articles about Father Cortes
- The Californian - Salinas Catholic Priest Accused of Molestation (17/04/2009)
- Monterey Herald - "Damaging Admissions" by Priest: Police Listened as Alleged Molestation Victim Made Call (22/04/2009)
- The Californian - Salinas Priest Pleads No Contest in Molestation Case (16/03/2011)
- The Californian - Salinas Priest Sentenced to 1 Year in Jail, Probation in Molestation of Boy (04/05/2011)
- Monterey Herald - Fugitive Priest Faces Sanctions (18/02/2012)
