Lawsuit Filed Against Newark Archdiocese Priest for Alleged Sexual Abuse
On Friday, a lawsuit was filed against a Newark Archdiocese priest for the alleged sexual abuse of a now 26-year-old man. Initially, a claim was filed in 2003 against Rev. Kevin Gugliotta, who appeared in the New Jersey list of credibly accused abusive priests in February, for allegations of abuse that occurred in the late 1980s when he volunteered as a Boy Scout leader. According to the Archdiocese, the charges were dismissed because he did not become a priest until 1996. After the earlier complaint was filed, though, they suspended him from his priestly duties, then reinstated him the following year. Unfortunately, he continued to serve at St. Bartholomew the Apostle parish in Scotch Plains, New Jersey as the head youth minister until 2016 when he was charged with possession of child pornography. At that time, the Archdiocese removed him from his position, and they plan to embark on defrocking Gugliotta.
Survivors of clergy abuse suffer from significant trauma in the form of drug dependencies, depression, and suicidal tendencies, for example. A great part of the emotional distress they may experience may come from the dismissal of their claims of abuse and their fear in speaking out against the church and their abusers in particular. The release of the list of credibly accused New Jersey priests may assist survivors in realizing that they are not alone and deserve to receive justice after many years of despair.
If you or someone you love faced clergy abuse as a child, our New Jersey clergy abuse lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr will fight against the abuse you suffered. Call us today at 732-537-8570 or toll-free at 877-249-4600 or contact us online to schedule a free and confidential case review. We proudly represent clients throughout New Jersey and in the communities of New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia.
