How Police Felt Stonewalled by Dallas Diocese at Every Turn in Sex Abuse Investigation

An affidavit Dallas police used to obtain a search warrant Wednesday to raid Dallas Catholic Diocese offices laid out allegations against five priests and suggested the church subverted police efforts to obtain more information.The affidavit, signed by Detective David Clark, who is working full-time on sex abuse allegations within the Diocese, sought to seize Diocese records because the church hadn’t handed over all the records it had about allegations against the priests.All five priests are on the Diocese’s list of 31 “credibly accused” priests, which the church released in January. That list included only accusations against priests that the Diocese concluded were credible after a review by former law enforcement officials and the Diocean Review Board.But the records handed over to police were not complete, Clark wrote.The accused priests could not be reached for comment and none have been arrested. One priest previously said he should not be included in the credibly accused list.Here is a look at the allegations, according to the affidavit:Edmundo ParedesDallas police began investigating a sexual abuse allegation into Edmundo Paredes, 70, after the Diocese told police a victim came forward in August. A warrant was issued for Parades’ arrest in January. But the details of the allegations by a former altar server were not public until Wednesday in the affidavit.Three others had previously accused Parades of sexual abuse and he was included in the list of 31. But police had said the accusers did not want to pursue criminal charges.  Continue reading...