CNN - Predators in plain sight: Priests accused of child abuse appear beyond the reach of law

Predators in plain sight: Priests accused of child abuse appear beyond the reach of law

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/28/on-the-trail-of-an-allegedly-abusive-l-a-priest-who-vanished-to-mexico/?hpt=hp_c1



Hundreds of former Catholic priests who have faced sex abuse allegations have managed to blend back into society. Nicolas Aguilar Rivera, who fled to Mexico, is still wanted in Los Angeles on 19 felony counts of lewd acts against a child.

By Gary Tuchman and Jessi Joseph, CNN

Los Angeles (CNN) - Former LAPD Detective Federico Sicard still remembers the Monday he arrived at a school to interview children who said a priest had molested them, even though the visit took place 23 years ago.

Sicard found four children at the school, Our Lady of Guadalupe in East L.A., who said they’d been abused by Nicolas Aguilar Rivera, a priest who’d recently arrived from Mexico.

But police never had a chance to interview Aguilar.

“We went to interview the priest and they told us he’s no longer here,” Sicard, who spent more than 20 years on the case, said in a recent interview. “He’s gone. He was taken to Mexico.”