BAKERSFIELD, CA (KMJ) – Another person comes forward with accusations of sex crimes against a South Valley Monsignor.
Three people have accused 59-year-old Monsignor Craig Harrison of inappropriate contact.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno found one accusation to be unsubstantiated.
According to the Diocese, they received the first report on April 12, 2019 by a man who said he was a minor (14 to 16 years old) when Harrison, pastor of St. Joseph in Firebaugh from 1992 to 1999, had inappropriate sexual contact with him in 1998.
The man reported the alleged abuse to the Firebaugh Police Department in 1998, and then later reported it in 2002 to the Fresno Diocese.
Church officials are investigating a claim this month by another accuser at the same church in Firebaugh.
According to the Diocese, the second alleged victim contacted them on Wednesday, April 25, to report the allegations.
The Diocese told the man to contact police.
The Diocese is cooperating and also is conducting an internal investigation.
An allegation of sexual misconduct against Rev. Msgr. Craig Harrison was reported to diocesan personnel on Friday, April 12, 2019, by an adult male who was a minor at the time of the alleged abuse. On Monday, April 15, 2019, diocesan personnel reported the allegation in person to the Firebaugh Police Department. Later that day, the officer who initially received the report was able to contact and interview the complainant. The Diocese of Fresno must defer to law enforcement regarding any additional information about the police department’s investigation.” – Press Release, April 25, 2019 from The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno.
According to Diocese Chancellor Teresa Dominguez, the Diocese was meeting with the second alleged victim on Monday, April 29, 2019.
The Diocese learned of an accusation on April 27, from a church in Merced where Harrison also served as pastor.
Teresa Dominguez, the Chancellor/Director of Communications said Harrison was serving from 1987 to 1989 at Our Lady of Mercy, St. Patrick’s and Sacred Heart, in Merced.
Police in Merced are investigating for misdemeanor sexual battery.
Monsignor Harrison also served at St. Francis in Mojave from 1991 to 1992.
Harrison is currently Pastor of Saint Francis Church in Bakersfield, where he has served since July 1999, but was placed on paid administrative leave, last week.
Harrison said in a post on Facebook that he “will vigorously defend my honor from these allegations and look forward to my good name being cleared.”
As prescribed by diocesan policy, Msgr. Harrison has been placed on Paid Administrative Leave pending the outcome of the investigation being conducted by law enforcement and the diocesan investigation.
Anyone who has information that may be relevant to this case is asked to contact Officer Ricardo Monay of the Firebaugh Police Department at (559) 659-3051.
To speak with diocesan personnel regarding relevant concerns in any location in the Diocese please contact Teresa Dominguez or Cheryl Sarkisian at (559) 488-7400 or your local law enforcement agency. – Press Release, April 25, 2019 from The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
