Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Mother of molested teen wants prison time for priest

The mother of a teen molested by a Henderson priest took to the steps of the Clark County Courthouse on Tuesday in an effort to ensure that the priest, since defrocked, is sentenced to jail.

Mark Roberts, 51, in January pleaded guilty to molesting the woman's then 16-year-old son and four other teenage boys at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Henderson.

Roberts could receive just probation for the gross misdemeanor convictions -- one count of open or gross lewdness and four counts of child abuse and neglect.

But the mother said Roberts should be given jail time when he is sentenced before District Judge Donald Mosley on May 9.

"I don't know what sentence the judge will think is fair," she said. "But our kids need to be protected. And how can they be protected if he's out on the street?"

The woman and three other supporters handed out fliers to people in the downtown area near South Third Street and Carson Avenue that read: "We believe in forgiveness and redemption, but we believe even more in protecting innocent children."

The fliers list Mosley's contact information and tell people to contact the judge and urge him to order Roberts into prison.

If Roberts is sentenced to prison, he could face a maximum sentence of five years. Roberts' attorney, George Foley Sr., could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mosley's decision could be based on whether a psychiatric evaluation, which is expected to be reviewed at the sentencing, deems Roberts as likely to re-offend.

David Clohessy, who helped distribute fliers, said most child abusers re-offend and that priests are no exception.

"Whenever they are given a chance, these men re-offend," he said. "Jail time is the only way to prevent that. It's not about vengeance but protection."

Clohessy is the national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a support group that recently formed a chapter in Las Vegas.

The organization has about 4,500 members in 48 states, he said. The local chapter has about 20 members, he said.

"Our goal is to help those that have been victimized to piece their lives back together," he said. "Part of the healing process is making sure this doesn't happen again and again."

Roberts' guilty plea related to fondling, verbally abusing and beating the boys between Jan. 1, 2001, and Feb. 1, 2002.

Under the deal, Roberts agreed to resign from the priesthood and not be around any children.

Despite his guilt, the mother said, many people still support Roberts because of the good deeds he did as their priest.

"He baptized our children and blessed my marriage too," she said. "But he did it with tainted hands."

The woman said her son, now 21, has moved out of state since the incident and is a member of SNAP in the state where he lives.

"He's doing well," she said. "He's on a healing journey."

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