Lower rate of abuses reported in Nevada

Friday, Feb. 27, 2004 | 9:50 a.m.

Nevada's dioceses, jointly operated from 1950 to 1995, reported a much lower rate of priest abuses than the national average. Eight out of 521 total priests, or 1.5 percent were accused of sexually abusing minors during that time period.

The Dioceses of Reno and Las Vegas jointly paid out $2.5 million in settlements, therapy and legal fees for 13 victims prior to 1995, a report released Feb. 13 shows. Since 1995, when the combined dioceses split, Las Vegas has paid out an additional $1.8 million for incidents that occurred prior to the formation of the Southern Nevada diocese.

According to the report, Mark Roberts of Henderson is the only priest to be accused since 1995, although accusations surfaced in May 2002 against Msgr. Robert Bowling of Reno for incidents in Kentucky 40 years before. Bowling has since died.

The rest of the report is anonymous and does not say when and where the abuses occurred. None of the accused priests are in active service anywhere in the country, Reno and Las Vegas diocese officials said.

Victim advocate groups have questioned the self-reported data, saying that the number of victims was too low.

Roberts, who officials have said is in the process of being defrocked, was sentenced to three years probation and treatment after he pleaded guilty to molesting five young men.