Michigan from 1950: The Attorney General had all seven dioceses searched in 2018; reports list 56 accused in Lansing and 51 in Grand Rapids

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

1. The report on the Diocese of Lansing of 16 December 2024 lists 56 persons against whom allegations of sexual misconduct against children or adults exist since 1950: 48 priests, three religious brothers, an apparent former religious brother and four deacons. The diocese itself lists 17 diocesan priests, including a bishop, as credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. Most allegations concern boys and girls under 16. The report on the Diocese of Grand Rapids of 12 December 2025 lists 51 priests, 38 of them ordained or incardinated by the diocese. The reports stress that inclusion in the list is not a determination that the allegations are credible or substantiated.
   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „There are 56 entries on this list, which includes 48 priests, three religious brothers and an apparent former religious brother, and four deacons“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „The Diocese identifies 17 diocesan priests (including a bishop) who were“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „The majority of reported allegations of sexual abuse or assault or other sexual misconduct (including grooming conduct) were against either boys or girls under the age of 16“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 9

   „There are 51 entries on this list, and of these 51 priests, 38 were ordained or incardinated by the Diocese of Grand Rapids.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „their inclusion does not reflect a determination by the Department that the allegations are credible or otherwise substantiated or indicative of a crime“

How were they charged and sentenced?

1. On 21 September 2018 the Michigan Department of Attorney General, together with the State Police, launched an investigation into clergy sexual abuse in the seven Catholic dioceses of the state. On 3 October 2018 a search warrant was executed simultaneously on the Archdiocese of Detroit and all six dioceses; more than 220 boxes and about 1.5 million paper documents were seized. By December 2025 a tipline had received 1,228 tips. Grand Rapids is the fifth of seven planned reports.
   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 1

   „On September 21, 2018, the Michigan Department of Attorney General (AG), in partnership with the Michigan State Police (MSP), launched an investigation into clergy sexual abuse throughout the State of Michigan“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 1

   „On October 3, 2018, a search warrant was simultaneously executed on the Archdiocese and all six Dioceses“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 1

   „more than 220 boxes of documents were seized. In total, an estimated 1.5 million paper documents were seized.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „this tipline has generated a total of 1,228 tips throughout the State of Michigan related to abuse“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 5

   „This is the fifth of what will eventually be seven separate reports“

2. In most cases, according to the report, prosecution was not possible because the priest was dead, the statute of limitations had expired, the conduct did not violate Michigan law or the victim did not wish to pursue charges. Before 2001, first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan became time-barred six years after the offence or at the victim's eighteenth birthday.
   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 4

   „criminal prosecution has simply not been possible either because the priest who engaged in the sexual abuse of minors was dead, the SOL had expired“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 3

   „Prior to 2001, the SOL for criminal sexual conduct in the first degree (CSC 1) was six years from the date of offense, or the victim’s 18th birthday day.“

What happened to those affected?

1. Convictions followed from the investigation. Joseph Comperchio, a former religious brother, pleaded guilty on 18 June 2021 to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison and died in prison in 2022. Former priest Timothy Crowley pleaded guilty to two counts and received one year in jail and five years of probation. Priest Vincent DeLorenzo pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct, was sentenced in 2023 to one year in jail and died in jail.
   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 46

   „On June 18, 2021, Comperchio pled guilty to one count of first-degree, criminal sexual conduct“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 46

   „Joseph Comperchio was ultimately sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison and to register as a sex offender. Comperchio died on June 2, 2022, while serving his prison sentence.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 65

   „the former Fr. Crowley pled guilty to two counts of second-degree, criminal sexual conduct“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 65

   „Crowley was sentenced to one year in jail, five years of probation“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 90

   „Fr. DeLorenzo pled guilty to attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 90

   „he was sentenced to one year in the Genesee County jail, five years of probation, and sex-offender counseling and registration. Fr. DeLorenzo died while in jail.“

2. In Grand Rapids the Attorney General filed no charges as a result of this investigation. Already in 2004 priest Shamaun Beas, then an associate pastor, had been arrested when he tried to meet someone he believed to be a 14-year-old child; in 2005 he was convicted. The report gives the sentence in one place as 6 to 20 and in another as 5 to 20 years in prison.
   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 10

   „The Attorney General has not filed criminal charges against any of the priests for the Diocese of Grand Rapids as a result of this investigation.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 77

   „after attempting to meet and have sex with someone who he thought was a 14 year old child.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 10

   „In 2005, the Department prosecuted Fr. Shamaun Beas for child sexually abusive activity and he was sentenced to 6-to-20 years in prison.“

   Evidence: Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, S. 78

   „On March 23, 2005, Fr. Beas was sentenced to 5-to-20 years in prison.“