Woodburn priest accused of child sex abuse, arrested
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WOODBURN, Ore. – Police arrested a Woodburn priest Monday and accused him of child sex abuse, police said.
Police say they received a report at about 1:30 a.m. that a 12-year-old boy said he had been touched inappropriately by 46-year-old Angel Armando Perez. Police investigated and then arrested Perez at his home without incident later that morning.
Police said Perez is a priest at St. Luke's Catholic Church.
According to Bud Bunce, spokesman for the Portland Archdiocese, Perez has been a priest for 10 years working first in Corvallis and Coos Bay.
"Whenever these types of allegations are made it is very tragic for everyone involved," Bunce said.
Both Bunce and Woodburn police say there have been no prior complaints against Perez.
Perez faces charges of first-degree sexual abuse, "using (a) child in a display of sexually explicit conduct" and giving alcohol to a minor.
"It's a position of trust and for someone to take advantage of that position, obviously that's very serious," said Mike Araiza with the Woodburn Police Department.
Parishioners say they are stunned. No one KATU News spoke to Monday said they had any signals from what they saw that would have prepared them for these kinds of accusations.
Woodburn police are asking anyone who may have information about this case to contact Detective Rick Puente at 503-982-2345.
Perez is currently in the Marion County Jail.
Since this is a very visible problem in the Catholic Church I would invite All the Clergy to Demonstrate their Faith and Love of their Flock by Volunteering to have a Complete CASTRATION....Prove It !!! By Doing it !!! If you talk the talk then walk the walk and get Castrated...
In order for an arrest to be made there had to be more convincing evidence of wrong-doing than a 12-year-old boy's say-so.
 @Gravity Works! The priest was running after the boy in his underwear.The boy had ran to a neighbor's house to get away form him.This was in the middle of the night.
 @Gravity Works! Even when some doubt exists, police these days always error on the side of making an arrest - especially with these types of cases.  Oregon has mandatory arrest laws for several criminal infractions (ie domestic violence). Â
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Anyways, it is not up to the police to determine guilt or innocence - the police just collect evidence and leave it up to the courts to sort out. Â
Really?? I would really like to know when and why and who... was ever wrongly arrested for child sex abuse??  Please do tell......Â
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these people are disgusting! in my mind they are just as bad as murderers.. scar these young innocent kids for life! but yet our judicial system will let these guys go free and keep the lesser criminals locked behind bars.. you got to love how this country works!! this guy should be put to death just like the murderers so we dont have to waste our tax dollars for these criminals to rot in jails!! our tax dollars can go to better things like education instead of house criminals!
How many victims in Corvallis and Coos Bay??? When will people wake up that the Roman Catholic cult is a haven
for pedophiles and molesters of the women in the church(cult) body!!!!!!!!!
The Roman Catholic Church is NOT a haven for pedophiles and molesters!. People are human and do really bad things and that is NOT the churches fault, even if it is a priest. The priest is a human being and just like all human being sins, but that is not the church's fault. That is like saying Penn State is a haven for pedophiles and molesters.  However, both the Church and Penn State are wrong for covering up scandals like this. The Church is NOT a cult, it is ignorant people like you and others that create their own cult of hate. Pedophiles and molesters are sick people, but to say an organization is a haven for them is ignorant and stupid. ALL organizations wether it be schools or religious institutions have pedophiles and molesters!
Also, I am a parishioner at St. Monica's in Coos Bay OR.
Since this is a very visible problem in the Catholic Church I would invite All the Clergy to Demonstrate their Faith and Love of their Flock by Volunteering to have a Complete CASTRATION
I have to Dissagree with you (JMJ ) on this because the people still attend these organizations and appear to be complacent to the many Priests committing these crimes. So many times in the news we see these Sexual Preditors in the Priest position, and the tolerence of people still attending is a reflection of the people to be Brainwashed and decieved to attend. Useing the old Scare Tactics and Lying to people is wrong.
@JMJÂ while I'm sure that the Roman Catholic Church isn't encouraging priests to go out and abuse victims, it seems as though the church, and other entities, Penn State, BS of America, etc have this innate habit of sweeping pedophilia under the rug and pretending it doesn't exist, and doesn't happen within their community.
 @JMJ Although I agree that these types of people exist everywhere, a haven is a place where someone can feel safe and protected or as Merriam-Webster put it: a place offering favorable opportunities or conditions. With so many cases out there of the church protecting these criminals, calling it a haven is in truth, pretty accurate. Of course you could also say that for certain churches who covered up for Boy Scout leaders too.
And Penn State, except that as far as we know, Penn State only covered for ONE person.
Since this is a very visible problem in the Catholic Church I would invite All the Clergy to Demonstrate their Faith and Love of their Flock by Volunteering to have a Complete CASTRATION....Prove It !!! By Doing it !!!
 @JMJ I'm not seeing where any of the posts say parishioners are brainwashed, so I'm going to guess you must hear that outside the news boards. And nowhere have I made the statement that the man is guilty or innocent. I just addressed the FACT that the church and other organizations, in an effort to protect their image, have indeed moved, protected and covered up child abuse for years, decades even.
If you choose to be a part of that particular religion, it's your choice to do so. I can think of worse things people do every day.
Everyone has an opinion but the truth or the facts and results of peoples actions speak for themselves and are there for all to see. I believe people need to stop believing everything they are told and start thinking and reasoning things for themselves. It takes effort to find the Truth on a subject on anything, maybe that is an underlying problem, laziness, as to the reason people still attend places anywhere that their Loved ones could be molested by a Sheep in Wolves clothing...
Having know Father Angel I have a really hard time believing this and I do not believe that he is guilty. However, I do not know all of the facts involved nor does anyone else. I will be praying all the facts of the case are revealed and that justice is done for both parties involved. If Father Angel is found innocent I hope that the media is willing to report the truth.
As I said before ALL parties involved need to be covered in our prayers. I will be praying for all of them and I hope everyone will too.Â
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What amazes me all the time is that yes the church covered things up but I also know that there have been priests that have been falsely accused and once they have been proven innocent by the courts no one is willing to report about those cases. Also, there have been priests who were accused and found guilty of sexual abuse and they were dead at the time of the accusations and had been for years. I am in no way condoning what the church or the priests who are guilty have done. I personally know Father Angel and am stunned by these accusations just as I would be if it was a TEACHER, FRIEND, or FAMILY MEMBER who had been accused. This is a horrible situation and I feel for all of the parties involved. I will be praying for all the people involved and all those lives that have been affected by this tragic incident.
However, to attack the Church and say that people are Brainwashed and deceived to attend that is wrong. I am a Christian who practices my Faith in the Catholic Church. Â
Of course people are going to spew hate.The community is angry,with good reason.For a small town we have more then our share of "people" making really STUPID choices.I.E The brainiacs who burned down the local high school, then tried to blame teacher for not watching them.Or the upper classroom who "hazed " the freshman boys by sexually abusing them.Think hard people do any of you see a commen thread here......With that said my heartfelt sorrow to this young child.No one wants to put it out there but what is the same in all mentioned cases ?
I have yet to understand why a church that requires it's leaders to NOT have a normal, healthy relationship, are surprised when they attract or create people who sexually abuse children.
@Owt_Raged You make a good point. Maybe if priests were allowed to marry then their sexual urges may be met by a spouse. However, there are still the sick freaks that abuse youth even when they are in a relationship.
 @Dirtman  TRUE! Sick, twisted people have existed since long before the Catholic church. People that abuse children are drawn to ANY position or place that allows them the greatest access to their victims.
"Parishioners say they are stunned." Why in the world would they be stunned? We do not yet know if this guy did it or not, but this is charge is about as unusual as a shooting in SE Portland.
Because they have not been caught themselves... LOL
This guy has no previous record and the arrest is from a yet-to-be-substantiated claim from a 12 year old. Â Â Let's not crucify the guy just yet.
Innocent until proven guilty. I anticipate the results of the investigation.
I have yet heard ever of a boy...12 years old no less, make up a story about his tally whacker being touched.. gimme a break!  A young boy degrading himself.. now looked at as a victim of sex abuse from a man.. Gross and disgusting! Highly doubt he is lying.
I actually avoid jury duty. But thanks!
I didn't say that the boy made up the story. In this country that we live in, the justice system presumes one is innocent until proven guilty, that's how our justice system works. If he is proven guilty, then I hope he rots in jail, but I'm not God, judge or jury, and it's not for me to be assuming the role of any of those in publicly decrying him guilty before his due day in court.
 @MrAchilles I hope that you never end up on jury duty.
Well IF remember the key word here "IF" he is convicted as charged then after his prison term then it is time to send him back to his homeland where such activity is an everyday legal event, after all 12 year olds are fair game in mexico.......Putting aside the fact that he is a Priest, many of the allegations in these matters are false and are dismissed without prosecution as in the case of the school teacher at the coast....Wait and see!
Um, do tell, where is his homeland? I didn't read anything saying he was an immigrant.
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 @The Voice of Reason With that line of reasoning,  The Boy Scouts should be shut down, Little League's should be shut down, Schools should be shut down, you get the idea.  It is not the organization but humans that break the law.  I know this man and until the facts are released, I will wait to judge him.  In stead of spewing hate perhaps you could practice a little prayer.
Without knowing all of the facts, it's not our place to be playing judge and jury.Â
I know this man and have actually criticized him for not being more involved in the parochial school attached to the church. He has a staff person that handles the youth. There has to be much much more to this story. Please wait to pass judgement till all the facts are released. Perhaps praying would be the best use of our time at this moment.
Yeah, pray there is only 1 victim.Â
I'm all in favor of going after priests or others as necessary....go thru the criminal courts and make the accuser face the accused.......those 30 and 40 yro cases where the accused priest is dead and there is no proof at all except what an accuser says are very suspect......people do a lot of things for money...
as far as pedophiles or other abusers, they are attracted to any organization that has children in it....schools....boy scouts....sports teams.....its currently chic to attack the Catholic church because the church has money....
As a victim of childhood abuse, I can attest that after having the shame of such abuse buried for years, that even not 20 years later, to be in the same room as the family member who committed those acts just makes me ill, I don't even want to hear their name. For a victim to be able to file a charge, let alone testify in front of a the accused, would take an extraoridnary amount of courage. And for the record, there are no amounts of money that can repair the psychological damage that remains after being abused. With trying different therapists, and medications, life is now a bit easier, but the impacts of being victimized never fully go away, they'll always haunt you like your shadow.
I have lived with a victim for 35 yrs and understand to some degree your pain, all I can tell you is life is easier if you can to some degree forgive the abuser, Love is Greater so dont let that person who hurt you take Love away from your Heart...
Who can say or who can know better than yourself how to deal with seeing the one who hurt you, but distance may help. If you have to be in contact and that one shows remorse, then some healing in time can happen, this I have witnessed...I wish I could take your pain away and it may help you to know that people do care about you and wish the best for you...Love conqers all and Love heals...Smile, take advantage of the rest of your life and Live and Love those close to you...
Thanks, and I agree. Once I let go of the anger that was masking the pain, it is easier, but it's still doesn't make the history go away, or the baggage, or physical illness that happens when seeing the person.Â
 @lother Delusional comments... This church has been caught red handed enough.. My question goes to the parents, why would you continue to let your children with these people ?
I think at this point the parents should be charged with child endangering as well..
 @lother Except there are legitimate claims of sexual abuse by priests, and it is very difficult for the victim to confront the priest or make an accusation against a priest who is esteemed by the family. I am thinking of the case of a Jesuit priest (and philosophy professor) in Seattle who perpetrated this abuse back in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. Fr. T. was assigned to mentor various homes in Seattle parishes, and his victims were young boys from such families.. One boy, who only came forth with the accusation about ten years ago, referred to it as "the elephant in the closet for forty years." The ice was broken by a few accusers in the early 1990's, and their courage emboldened others to face a past they had hidden in shame for decades. It is simply not fair to characterize those with legitimate complaints as people who are "attacking the Catholic church because the church has money." The Church needs to be held responsible for the priests' abusive activity. If it costs them millions, tough.
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For all you all know this kid could be lying. Why always think the person that speaks out is saying the truth? Does anybody ever think about that? Not saying i approve of this harassment problem but seriously y'all have to think about all the possibilities in this case that not all victims are telling the truth especially if y'all are just attacking catholics.
Well, let's refer to the 12 year old as the accuser for the time being, if it's proven that he was victimized then there's proof that he was telling the truth and the priest was guilty. I do admit, MrAchilles has a very valid point, it would be very emasculating for a 12 year old boy to publicly state "The priest touched me", not a popular thing for him to say.
If you were a 12 year old boy, would you put yourself in a position to make people think your tally whacker has been fondled by a man, or an orifice penetrated somewhere below??? I think not.Â
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Sadly, religious organizations have had a long history of sweeping sex/abuse scandals under the rug.Â
See my surprised face?
Any parent that leaves their child unattended around any Catholic priest should be charged with child neglect and or child abuse.
Let me make sure I'm understanding this....if a parent allows their child to be alone with let's say, a Baptist minister, that would be OKAY, but if a parent allows their child to be alone with a Catholic Priest then it would be child abuse? Let me guess, you'd use the same logic if referring to having a white female or male tutor working with your white daughter, but if a black male tutor were working tutoring you daughter, then would that be abuse as well?
 @pdxd Uh, let me help you understand  this ... THIS story, is about a Catholic priest. If the next story is about a Baptist minister, I'll say the same thing!
@ swimbad okay, so, a leader of a church, that someone chooses to attend should be presumed untrustworthy??? If I were attending a church, I'd want the person teaching me about the gospel to be someone that I trusted with anything, because you're essentially entrusting them with your salvation if you follow what they tell you.
@swimbad AMEN TO THE MAX!!!!!!!!!
@swimbad Oh reallty???? Well...you be sure and never leave your child around Granpa Bill or your Uncle Fred. Or don't ever let them got the school bus stop alone...or ride their bike down to 7-11...Stupidest statement I ever heard. But then...need I say more?
@Bewitchin1 You are CORRECT, most of the child sex abuse takes place between family members NOT a third party unknown to the child or the parent and nearly 80% of the allegations are unfounded either thru trial or investigation before trial/indictment
 @Bewitchin1 You should always walk on your hands so we can hear you when you speak.
 @Bewitchin1  @swimbad Keep twitching your nose Tabatha, something will someday.
@swimbad @Bewitchin1 Only someone with your kind of mind would walk on their hands. Talk thru your own A**.Â