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In Missouri, more than 180 priests have been publicly accused of sexual abuse across the state. The highest concentration of priests accused of abuse are associated with The Archdiocese of St. Louis, although there are a considerable number of clergy members accused in the dioceses of Kansas City–St. Joseph, Jefferson City, and Springfield–Cape Girardeau.
Survivors of clergy abuse, assault, and misconduct in Missouri are pursuing civil lawsuits against abusive priests and the religious institutions that failed to prevent or properly report the abuse. These legal actions aim to hold those entities accountable and may lead to significant financial settlements for survivors. If you or a loved one has suffered abuse, assault, or misconduct as a result of a religious leader in the state of Missouri, call (800) 509-9747 or get help online from our legal team – completely free and 100% confidential.
Together, We Can Hold Abusers Accountable…
Below is a list of priests accused of sexual abuse in Missouri, including other diocesan clergy members facing legal allegations. This list does not include accusations against administrative staff or volunteers, though survivors may still have the right to file a sex abuse claim against those individuals as well.
Accused Priests From The Archdiocese of St. Louis (76)
- Anderson, R. Alexander
- Babka, H. Robert
- Barry, O. Michael
- Beckman, Carl
- Beine, A. James
- Bland, Felix
- Blase, Francis
- Bockelmann, Albert
- Brinkman, G. Don
- Byrne, Maurice
- Campbell, J. “Jack” John
- Campbell, Robert John
- Campbell, A. Michael
- Christensen, A. William
- Christian, H. Norman
- Cleary, X. Francis
- Condon, A. James
- Cooper, T. Thomas
- Creason, “Hugh” Hubert
- DeGuire, M. Charles
- Fitzgerald, J. Alfred
- Forman, Bruce
- Galovich, W. George
- Gavin, L. John
- Goellner, J. Glennon
- Grady, Patrick James
- Heier, A. Vincent
- Hess, P. John
- Hough, W. John
- Huhn, Bernard
- Hummel, Fred
- Kaske, J. John
- Kegel, J. Francis
- Kelley, A. William
- Kertz, Louis
- Kirchoff, P. Dennis
- Kopff, C. Marvin
- Kraus, D. Philip
- Malo, A. Eugene
- Marschner, J. Aloysius
- McClintock, J. Dennis
- McLain, James
- McShane, L. James
- Meinhardt, Louis
- Miller, H. Charles
- O’Brien, M. Joseph
- O’Flynn, Bernard
- Obmann, Russell
- Osborne, R. Robert
- Pavlik, J. James
- Pilgram, C. Paul
- Pinkston, “R.A. Manfir” Nickolas
- Poepperling, C. William
- Posey, Thaddeus
- Rehme, A. Albert
- Ross, D. Joseph
- Schierhoff, C. Lawrence
- Seidel, L. Michael
- Short, J. Anthony
- Stauber, F. James
- Straub, J. Donald
- Sutton, J. Gregory
- Thiel, James
- Toczylowski, Maximilian
- Toohey, W. Michael
- Triulzi, A. Daniel
- Valentine, A. Leroy
- Vatterott, F. William
- Westrich, M. Keith
- Wieberg, R. John
- Witzofsky, H. Richard
- Wolken, P. Gary
- Woulfe, J. John
- Yim, J. Robert
- Zacheis, B. Dennis
- Zimmer, Ralph
Accused Priests From The Diocese of Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph (35)
- Ahern, James
- Baskett, C. John
- Brewer, E. Michael
- Cameron, Robert
- Coury, J. Philip
- Cronin, Thomas
- Deming, Robert
- Ford, James
- Fraser, Burton
- Geimer, Richard
- Hart, Joseph
- Honhart, Mark
- Hoppe, J. Sylvester
- Johnson, Earl
- Lawbaugh, James
- Jakubowski, Joseph
- McGlynn, Francis
- Monahan, Hugh
- Muth, J. Stephen
- O’Brien, J. Thomas
- Parrott, Thomas
- Parry, Bede
- Ratigan, Shawn
- Reardon, Thomas
- Tierney, Michael
- True, Isaac
- Tulipana, John
- Urbanic, James
- Vatter, Peter
- Ward, J. Thomas
- Wegenek, J. Jerry
- Wise, Stephen
- Hartway, Alan
- Spegele, Michael
- Vetter, Henry
Accused Priests From The Diocese of Jefferson City (35)
- Collins, Edwin
- Flynn, Frank
- Guimaraes, Elias Francisco
- Maloney, Francis F.
- Palimattom, Jose
- Symons (Bp), Joseph Keith
Accused Priests From The Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau (35)
- Brath, A. John
- Chambers, R. Leonard
- Craig, G. J. Walter
- Deragowski, Eugene
- Gregovich, E. Lawrence
- Lutz, J. Frederick
- McHugh, Paul
- Rynish, J. John
- Schneider, A. Stephen
- Shibley, A. Amel
- Wells, John
- Wyrsch, Louis
- Carr, Gary
- Ernstmann, Mark
- Marquart, Ernest
- Juda, Stephen
- Meyer, G. Thomas
- Vedder, Bernard
- Santo, Mark
- Vetter, Henry
- Twardochleb, Emil
- Barron, Wayne
- Brey, Floyd
- Farris, “Jack” John
- Mrowinski, Charles
- Ruhl, John
- Barsch, Vincent
- Charland, Michael
- Fitzgerald, Vincent J.
- Munie, Orville
- Schulte, Daniel
- Boeding, Damian
- Drinan, Daniel
- Lause, Richard
- Paiz, William
Notable Missouri Priest Abuse Settlements
$9.95 Million Settlement – Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph (2014)
- Settled 30 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by diocesan priests.
- Included claims involving 13 priests accused of abuse from 1963 to 1987.
- The settlement followed an 11-day trial involving Jon David Couzens, who accused Msgr. Thomas O’Brien of abuse.
- The diocese opted to resolve the Couzens case along with the others through a global mediated agreement.
- Victims alleged that Church leaders had concealed abuse and failed to act.
- This was part of a broader effort by the diocese to resolve historical abuse cases and avoid further trials.
$10 Million Settlement – Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph (2008)
- Covered 47 survivors and claims involving 12 priests, including Fr. Thomas Reardon and Fr. John Tulipana.
- Included non-monetary terms: public apology, child protection reforms, and court-monitored compliance.
- Represented a shift in the diocese’s approach, with commitments to report abuse and avoid confidentiality clauses unless requested by the survivor.
- Was the largest clergy abuse settlement in Missouri at the time.
- Helped establish survivor outreach protocols and reporting standards.
$1 Million Settlement – Archdiocese of St. Louis (2023)
- Resolved a lawsuit filed by a man sexually abused as a child by Fr. Gary Wolken in the early 1990s.
- Wolken had previously been convicted in a separate case and served prison time.
- The survivor filed suit after recovering repressed memories.
- The case was settled shortly after the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in May 2023.
- The settlement was approved through the bankruptcy court.
- Marked one of the few publicly reported individual abuse settlements in the Archdiocese of St. Louis in recent years.
Missouri Priest Abuse Lawsuits (Active Cases & Investigations)
Doe v. Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau (2024)
- Filed in September 2024 by seven survivors.
- Alleges the diocese knowingly covered up child sexual abuse by clergy during the 1980s and 1990s.
- Seeks $75 million in damages.
- Accused priests include Leonard Chambers, John Harth, Val Reeker, Thomas McCarthy, Thomas Reidy, John Westheus, and Michael McDevitt.
- The diocese stated that none of the accused remain in active ministry.
- The case is pending in U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri.
Doe v. Diocese of Jefferson City (2024)
- Filed by five plaintiffs who allege sexual abuse by clergy and a subsequent diocesan cover-up.
- Accused clergy include Francis Gillgannon, Thomas Duggan, Gerald Howard, an unnamed “Fr. Dave,” and David Darr.
- The plaintiffs are seeking $75 million in damages.
- All alleged abuse took place decades ago.
- The diocese has acknowledged the claims and is conducting internal investigations.
- The case is ongoing in federal court.
Doe v. Archdiocese of St. Louis (2024)
- A series of lawsuits filed in St. Louis city and county courts.
- Involves 60 plaintiffs alleging abuse by 56 clergy and religious members, including priests and nuns.
- Claims that the Archdiocese knowingly concealed abuse and moved abusers between parishes.
- One lawsuit names Archbishop George J. Lucas as an alleged abuser from the late 1980s.
- The Archdiocese denies the allegations and is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.
- The lawsuits are now being processed through the bankruptcy claim system.
Internal Investigations and Church Responses (2023–2025)
As of August 2025, Missouri law voids non-disclosure agreements in child sex abuse cases, increasing transparency and survivor rights. reforms within the SBC, including the creation of a database of credibly accused ministers. Florida churches are now subject to increased scrutiny and accountability measures as a result.
Following the lawsuits, Missouri dioceses have launched internal reviews.
- The Jefferson City and Springfield–Cape Girardeau dioceses are actively investigating new allegations.
- In 2019, a Missouri Attorney General report led all dioceses to publish lists of credibly accused clergy.
- The Archdiocese of St. Louis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2023 to manage costs associated with abuse claims.
Deadline to File a Claim in Missouri
- Criminal (Child Victims): There is no time limit to prosecute most sex crimes against children. Missouri law allows criminal charges for child sexual abuse at any time.
- Criminal (Adult Victims): For adults, most sexual offenses must be prosecuted within 3 years, unless it’s a serious felony like forcible rape, which has no time limit.
- Civil (Child Victims): Survivors of child sexual abuse can file a lawsuit until age 31, or within 3 years of discovering the abuse and its effects—whichever is later. Missouri does not offer a revival window for expired claims.
- Civil (Adult Victims): Adults generally have 2–5 years to file a civil lawsuit depending on the type of claim (e.g., assault vs. negligence).
- Recent Update: As of August 2025, Missouri voided non-disclosure agreements in child sex abuse cases, increasing survivor protections. However, broader statute reforms have not yet passed.
For more information about deadlines, see the Missouri Statute of Limitations (SoL) for sexual abuse.
Talk in Confidence. We’ll listen…
Get Help From The Lawyers at Kayla’s Survivors
If you or someone you love has experienced sexual abuse in Missouri, you are not alone—and legal support is available. The legal process can feel daunting, but an experienced attorney can help you understand your rights, pursue accountability, and seek justice. Speaking up is often the first powerful step toward healing and holding both abusers and institutions responsible. Take the next step by calling (800) 509-9747 or tell us about your case online. Our legal team is here to listen and provide support.
The sexual abuse attorneys at Kayla’s Survivors have helped recover over $1 billion for our clients, including clergy abuse claims settled in Saint Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia, Missouri.
