Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
2004-2015 · 11 years · show in timeline

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis 2004 to 2015: Prosecutors charge the archdiocese itself because, despite years of warnings, it made Curtis Wehmeyer a pastor, who then abused children

In June 2015 the Ramsey County Attorney in Minnesota filed a criminal complaint against the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis as a corporation. The complaint accuses it of contributing by act and omission to the endangerment of three boys abused by the priest Curtis Wehmeyer. In 2012 Wehmeyer had pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct with minors and possession of child pornography. According to the complaint the archdiocese had been warned about him since seminary, knew of incidents in 2004 and 2006 and of a drunk driving arrest in 2009 in which he had approached teenagers, and nonetheless appointed him pastor in 2009, against the written warning of its own chancellor. The parishes were never informed. In December 2015 the archdiocese reached a settlement with prosecutors in the parallel civil proceeding with three years of court oversight, without admitting liability.

Period
2004-2015 (11 years)
Country
United States
Institutions
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Curtis Wehmeyer (Priest of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, pastor from 2009; according to the criminal complaint pleaded guilty in 2012 to criminal sexual conduct with minors and possession of child pornography)
John Nienstedt (Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis from 2008; according to the criminal complaint appointed Wehmeyer pastor in 2009 despite a written warning)

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. According to the complaint, from summer 2010 Wehmeyer abused two brothers from his parish in his camper trailer on parish grounds, gave them beer, cigarettes and marijuana and showed them pornography; according to the complaint he abused a third boy in 2011. On his computer police found images and videos of sex acts involving prepubescent boys. According to the complaint the victims needed extensive therapy.
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil A
    „Wehmeyer's camper trailer that was parked on parish grounds“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil A. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil A
    „Wehmeyer gave him and VICTIM 1 alcohol and cigarettes and showed them pornographic images on“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil A. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil A
    „(15) still images and three (3) video files depicting sex acts involving prepubescent males.“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil A. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil A
    „treatment and other services. These services presently continue and are anticipated to be necessary into the“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil A. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. The criminal complaint of 5 June 2015 accuses the archdiocese as a corporation on six counts of having contributed by act, word or omission to the need for protection and the delinquency of three minor victims; each count is a gross misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail or a 3,000 dollar fine. The complaint is based on investigations by the St. Paul police and the county attorney. According to the complaint Wehmeyer pleaded guilty on 8 November 2012 to three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and 17 counts of possession of child pornography and was in prison in 2015.
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Count 1
    „encouraged, caused or contributed to the need for protection or services of VICTIM !, a minor at the time of the“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Count 1. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Count 1
    „Maximum Sentence: I year or $3,000 fine, or both.“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Count 1. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Statement of Probable Cause
    „Your complainants are Sergeant Eric Skog of the Saint Paul Police Department and Investigator Eugene“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Statement of Probable Cause. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil A
    „(17) felony counts of possession of child pornography before the Ramsey County District Court on Thursday,“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil A. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. In the parallel civil proceeding before the juvenile court, the archdiocese and prosecutors reached a settlement in December 2015 that was subject to approval by the bankruptcy court, as the archdiocese had filed for bankruptcy. The proceeding is stayed for 36 months, the court retains jurisdiction, and the parties report to it about every six months on implementation of the safeguarding requirements. In the settlement the archdiocese denies contributing to the endangerment of children and admits no liability.
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division, Stipulation, Präambel
    „without any admission of liability“
    In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, Stipulation, Präambel. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division, Stipulation, Nr. 1
    „contingent upon approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court“
    In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, Stipulation, Nr. 1. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division, Stipulation, Nr. 3
    „months, the agreed-upon term of the Agreement“
    In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, Stipulation, Nr. 3. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division, Stipulation, Nr. 5
    „intervals over the term of the Agreement to report to the Court on the ongoing“
    In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, Stipulation, Nr. 5. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division, Settlement Agreement, Recitals
    „the Archdiocese denies that it is contributing to a child's need for“
    In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, Settlement Agreement, Recitals. Original

Background

Response of the Church

  1. According to the complaint, seminary officials doubted before his ordination in 2001 whether Wehmeyer was suited to the priesthood and told Archbishop Harry Flynn. In 2004 parish staff told Flynn that Wehmeyer had repeatedly been seen leaving the boys' bathroom of the elementary school and had been cited for loitering at a place known for sexual encounters; Flynn promised to take care of it. A clinical assessment in 2004 recommended therapy and accountability; a further assessment never took place. According to the complaint, the monitor responsible himself called the in-house monitoring programme, presented as "state of the art", "window dressing".
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV A
    „The third year report asked, "whether“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV A. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV D
    „Flynn gave A.D. and A.O. his assurance that he would take care of“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV D. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV F
    „Wehmeyer never underwent another assessment at St. Luke's nor did he complete inpatient residential“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV F. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil I
    „both publically and internally as "state of the art," for the express purpose of monitoring and supervising“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil I. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV I 2
    „program as "window dressing."“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV I 2. Original
  2. On 28 April 2009 the Chancellor for Canonical Affairs warned Archbishop John Nienstedt in writing not to appoint Wehmeyer pastor and advised him to review the file. On 1 May 2009 Nienstedt wrote to Wehmeyer that he had not checked the file, and on 1 June 2009 appointed him pastor of two parishes. After Wehmeyer's drunk driving arrest the same year, during which he had approached teenagers, Nienstedt by his own account never saw the police report. In 2010 a priest told the responsible auxiliary bishop that he had seen Wehmeyer in bed with one of the boys while camping; the priest heard nothing further. In 2011 the delegate for abuse matters advised against informing the parish about Wehmeyer's history.
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV O
    „Nienstedt not to appoint Wehmeyer pastor. Haselberger wrote a memo to Nienstedt on April 28, 2009,“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV O. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV O
    „Less than one month later, on June 1, 2009, Nienstedt appointed Wehmeyer pastor of both Blessed“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV O. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV R
    „In a deposition on April 2, 2014, Archbishop Nienstedt indicated that he never saw the police report“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV R. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV T
    „The morning after the second night, D.B. woke up and saw Wehmeyer in bed with VICTIM 1.“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV T. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV T
    „information. D.B. never heard anything further about the incident.“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV T. Original
    Evidence: Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota, Teil IV W
    „In a May 9, 2011 memorandum, Fr. McDonough told Rourke that he recommends no workplace“
    State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, Teil IV W. Original

Original documents to read

  1. Government report
    Ramsey County Attorney, Second Judicial District, Minnesota: State of Minnesota v. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Criminal Complaint, Prosecutor File No. 2139124, 5 June 2015. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Government report
    Ramsey County Attorney und Erzdiözese St. Paul und Minneapolis, eingereicht beim Ramsey County District Court, Juvenile Court Division: In the Matter of the Welfare of Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3, Stipulation to Stay Proceedings and Settlement Agreement, Court File No. 62-JV-15-1674, 18 December 2015. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.