DES PLAINES (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A Lake Zurich Catholic priest recently removed from active ministry because sexual abuse accusations is now being criminally investigated.
Fr. David Ryan, 71, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lake Zurich, is under investigation by Des Plaines police for sexual misconduct, based on two separate allegations. Police said they were alerted by the Archdiocese of Chicago of a letter they received from the attorney representing the two accusers. In that letter, the accusers allege that Fr. Ryan sexually abused them while they were residents at Des Plaines’ Maryville Academy.
Police said the first alleged incident occurred sometime around 1986. A now 49-year-old woman claims Fr. Ryan groped and fondled her.
The other accuser, a now 36-year-old man, alleges Fr. Ryan fondled and groped him sometime around 2002 or 2003.
The investigation remains ongoing, police said.
Nearly two weeks ago Cardinal Blase Cupich notified parishioners of the allegations and the priest was stepping aside while the accusations were investigated.
This is not the first time Fr. Ryan has faced sexual misconduct allegations. Ryan was pulled from his parish in 2020 after other abuse allegations were made at Maryville Academy.
He was reinstated a year ago after authorities determined the allegations were unfounded and then another allegation was made last fall. The Archdiocese again reinstated Ryan after officials said they found insufficient evidence of abuse.
WBBM's Steve Miller contributed to this report.
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