Third Child Sex Lawsuit Against Former California Priest

November 9, 2012

A third California man is suing the Stockton Diocese saying a former priest sexually assaulted him more than a decade ago when he was a 10-year-old altar boy in Calaveras County.

The new child sex allegations come about six months after a jury found the Rev. Michael Kelly liable for molesting a Catholic school student in Stockton.

Two months ago, another San Joaquin Valley lawsuit claimed Kelly molested a 12-year-old altar boy in the early 2000s when Kelly was a priest at St. Andrews Church in San Andreas.

The Modesto Bee says the new lawsuit claims Kelly repeatedly came to the boy’s house unannounced and assaulted him.

The diocese has refused comment.

Kelly was removed from the ministry and has since gone to his native Ireland, citing health problems.