A former Catholic priest is facing 16 counts, including child abuse and sexual assault, after accusations were made that he sexually abused and molested a minor between 1977 and 1983.
Michael Lowell Barnes, 64, has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse and assault on a minor, and is now being extradited from his home in North Carolina to Maryland--the state where the crimes occurred.
The Ocean City Police Department in Maryland received a complaint last year that the former priest repeatedly sexually abused and molested a minor in Ocean City. The victim is now an adult.
Police have had trouble extraditing Barnes from North Carolina, mainly because he has been suffering from numerous health problems. He recently had a quadruple bypass and suffered two heart attacks.
Barnes was finally extradited to Worcester County, Maryland, where he has been booked in the Worcester County jail. A judge has since set his bail at $75,000. Barnes is still in jail, and although he hasn't been formally indicted, he faces 16 counts stemming from the alleged abuse. A hearing has been set for March 15.
In addition to the criminal charges, the victim has also filed a civil lawsuit against Barnes, as well as against the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He claims the "long pattern of abuse" began in 1977 when he was just 12 years old, and continued on for several years.
Abuse by a priest is one of the most traumatizing experiences a young person can go through. If your child has been abused by a priest, or if you yourself were abused as a child, you should speak with an experienced clergy abuse lawyer at the Zalkin Law Firm about your legal options. You deserve to be compensated for your traumatic experience, and you can depend on an attorney at our office to advocate your rights, stand up for your cause, and help you pursue a lawsuit for the largest possible settlement.
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