The Archbishop of the Dubuque Catholic Diocese says a priest has been charged with sexual abuse that allegedly occurred during his time in Iowa.
A statement from Archbishop Thomas Zinkula says Father Leo Riley has been charged in Florida with five counts of second-degree sexual abuse from allegations of abuse committed in Dubuque from 1985 to 1986. An allegation was first made in May of 2023, and a second allegation was made after the Archdiocese asked anyone with information to come forward.
The Archdiocese statement says an allegation of abuse had been made against Riley in December of 2014, but it is their understanding the Dubuque County Attorney’s Office chose not to investigate because the statute of limitations had expired. Riley had moved to Venice, Florida in 2002 and was most recently assigned to Port Charlotte, Florida.