A Catholic priest in Louisiana has been arrested on charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile, according to an investigation report obtained by The Guardian. Korey LaVergne, who was the pastor at St Edward Catholic Church, was booked with three counts of indecent behavior with a minor after a fellow priest made a complaint about him allegedly touching the child over the course of a year.
The allegations against LaVergne surfaced on December 2nd, when deputies received a report that he had inappropriately touched a juvenile. The accuser told a third person that they were "inappropriately touched by Father Korey Lavergne… on multiple occasions within the last year." The incident allegedly took place at St Edward Catholic Church, where LaVergne was the pastor.
LaVergne was jailed on January 16th and later released on $15,000 bail. He had been serving as the official courier for the Lafayette diocese, which has faced scrutiny in recent years over its handling of clergy abuse cases. In 2021, the diocese made headlines when it brought thousands of pages of documents to the Vatican outlining the cause for sainthood for Charlene Richard, a Little Cajun Saint who died at age 12.
The arrest comes as the Lafayette diocese is facing increased scrutiny over its handling of clergy abuse cases. In November, the diocese released a financial report estimating potential losses from pending litigation at up to $162 million. The diocese has faced criticism and lawsuits related to clergy abuse in recent years, including a settlement with 600 survivors in New Orleans that cost the archdiocese $305 million.
LaVergne's arrest marks another high-profile case of clergy abuse in Louisiana. In 1985, a priest named Gilbert Gauthe pleaded guilty to molesting several boys and served 10 years in prison. The case drew international attention and led to numerous lawsuits against the Catholic Church, resulting in billions of dollars in damages.
LaVergne's whereabouts are currently unknown, as attempts to contact him for comment have been unsuccessful. The investigation is ongoing, with the sheriff's office promising more details about the allegations once the case allows.
The allegations against LaVergne surfaced on December 2nd, when deputies received a report that he had inappropriately touched a juvenile. The accuser told a third person that they were "inappropriately touched by Father Korey Lavergne… on multiple occasions within the last year." The incident allegedly took place at St Edward Catholic Church, where LaVergne was the pastor.
LaVergne was jailed on January 16th and later released on $15,000 bail. He had been serving as the official courier for the Lafayette diocese, which has faced scrutiny in recent years over its handling of clergy abuse cases. In 2021, the diocese made headlines when it brought thousands of pages of documents to the Vatican outlining the cause for sainthood for Charlene Richard, a Little Cajun Saint who died at age 12.
The arrest comes as the Lafayette diocese is facing increased scrutiny over its handling of clergy abuse cases. In November, the diocese released a financial report estimating potential losses from pending litigation at up to $162 million. The diocese has faced criticism and lawsuits related to clergy abuse in recent years, including a settlement with 600 survivors in New Orleans that cost the archdiocese $305 million.
LaVergne's arrest marks another high-profile case of clergy abuse in Louisiana. In 1985, a priest named Gilbert Gauthe pleaded guilty to molesting several boys and served 10 years in prison. The case drew international attention and led to numerous lawsuits against the Catholic Church, resulting in billions of dollars in damages.
LaVergne's whereabouts are currently unknown, as attempts to contact him for comment have been unsuccessful. The investigation is ongoing, with the sheriff's office promising more details about the allegations once the case allows.
this is so messed up! I mean, a priest touching a juvenile over the course of a year? That's like, totally unacceptable! 
And to think he was serving as an official courier for the diocese and had access to all these kids... it's just horrific. 
I'm not surprised that the Lafayette diocese is facing scrutiny over its handling of clergy abuse cases - they've been dealing with this stuff for ages and still can't get it right. 
It's like, how many times do you have to be reminded that power comes with responsibility? 
I hope the accuser gets some justice out of this and that Korey LaVergne faces serious consequences for his actions. 
, this is like soooo disturbing!!! Korey LaVergne was a priest at St Edward Catholic Church in Louisiana & he got arrested 4 indecent behavior w/ a juvenile 
. Its just like, why did it take so long 4 him 2 get caught?? The diocese has been gettin scolded 4 their handling of abuse cases 4 yrs now & its still not good enuf... this guy needs 2 face serious consequences 
over its handling of clergy abuse cases 
16 million dollar bail is no joke 
he's out on the streets now 
hopefully justice is served soon 
The whole thing feels like a sickening repeat of the same story over and over. I mean, we've seen this kind of abuse happen before - Gilbert Gauthe in 1985... it's like they're just keeping the cycle going. And now this priest, Korey LaVergne, is facing similar charges... it's getting old. 
The financial report from the diocese is also super concerning - $162 million in potential losses from pending litigation... it's like they're already setting themselves up for failure. 
Can't help but feel that this whole thing is a symptom of something bigger, you know?
What even is indecent behavior with a minor, anyway? Is it like, physical contact or what? 
The fact that his whereabouts are unknown is weird, but maybe it's 'cause the cops don't wanna rock this boat just yet?
this is just another example of how power and trust can be abused, especially in positions of authority like clergy. it's heartbreaking that a child had to go through something so traumatic because of someone who was supposed to protect them 
. i hope the investigation is thorough and brings justice to the child and their family 
. it's also worrying that the diocese is facing increased scrutiny, but I guess some transparency and accountability might be just what they need to make things right 
.
I feel so bad for that poor kid who had to go through all that 
anyway, I'm just glad the sheriff's office is taking this seriously and investigating properly 
hope Korey LaVergne gets the justice he deserves 
this is just crazy, a priest getting arrested for indecent behavior with a kid is beyond disturbing, I cant even imagine what that child went through, 10 years in prison was given to another priest for similar crimes and now another one gets arrested for doing the same thing, what happened to these institutions? 
. And $15k bail? That just doesn't seem right considering the severity of these allegations 
it's like, how does this happen? especially with all the scrutiny the Catholic Church is already under about these kinds of issues... $15k bail doesn't seem like enough considering what's at stake here 
I mean, I'm all for people being held accountable but I wish there was more info on what exactly happened... the fact that a fellow priest made a complaint and it took a year to surface is red flag after red flag 
it's like he has no regard for their feelings or boundaries at all... how many other people did he hurt? it's not just about him, it's about the whole system that enables this kind of behavior 
. i hope this guy gets what's coming to him, but more importantly, lets make sure our children are safe and supported, not just some powerful adults playing with their power 
.
his job is to help people grow spiritually and stuff but he ends up hurting a kid 
anyway, it's super sad that this dude got arrested but also kinda expected considering all the other clergy abuse cases in LA 
. 15k bail is low for someone who did this to a minor