Fr. Carlos Martins, popular priest and Podcast, no longer faces criminal charges after an incident in a parish of Illinois (United States) last year derived from minor accusations.
El Burke Law Group reported in a press release this Wednesday that the priest, who leads the podcast “The Exorcist Files”, had been “totally acquitted from all charges” derived from an event that occurred on November 21, 2024 in the Queen of Apostles parish in Joliet, Illinois.
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Lawyer Marcella Burke He said in November “Ewtn News agency,” that the incident in question occurred when Martins touched a girl’s hair while making a joke about her own baldness. The joke occurred publicly “in a classroom environment with teachers, clergy, parish personnel and volunteers present.”
The incident led to Will County Prosecutors They will file a criminal complaint against Martins in Januaryin which it was alleged that Martins even put the girl’s hair in her mouth.
On Wednesday, Burke Law Group reported that prosecutors “withdrew those positions and dismissed the case” without any undue conduct or criminal responsibility by the priest.
Burke told CNA on Wednesday that the position entailed a maximum penalty of 365 days in jail and a fine of $ 2,500.
In the press release, the lawyer said that the dismissal of the charges was “exactly the result we expected.”
“What was accused was simply absurd,” Burke said. “This was a case that should never have been presented. The court ruling is a full claim of the innocence of P. Martins from the beginning of any criminal conduct.”
For his part, Martins said in the statement that he was “deeply grateful to all those who offered their prayers and support during this time.”
“I am grateful that the truth has come to light and I hope to resume my ministry and continue preaching the gospel,” said the priest.
Martins is a priest of the Order Companions of the Cross. Until Wednesday afternoon, the order had not issued a statement on the case.
Martins visited the parish of Illinois as part of its national itinerant exhibition of a relic of the arm of San Judas Apostle through the Treasures of the Church Ministry.
The priest He told Ewtn News in 2023 which was “the first time that the Holy arm … (had) left from Italy.”
On your websiteTreasures of the Church states that the tour, which lasted 16 months, was visited by “almost 2 million pilgrims” in numerous dioceses and places.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Daniel Payne
Daniel Payne is a senior editor of Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.