Father William Presley
Diocese of Raleigh
Ordained: 1956
Placed on Leave: 2002
Laicized: 2006
Died: 2012
Assigned as Follows:
- 1956-1965: St. Cosmas and Damian (Punxsutawney, PA)
- 1965-1970: Elk County Christian High School (St. Mary’s, PA)
- 1971: Immaculate Conception (Brookville, PA)
- 1972: Our Lady Queen of the Americas (Conneaut Lake, PA)
- 1970-1976: Leave of Absence (Notre Dame, IN)
- 1976-1977: Leave of Absence (St. Joseph University, Philadelphia)
- 1977-1978: Leave of Absence (University of Maryland, Baltimore)
- 1978-1981: St. Therese (Shinglehouse, PA)
- 1971-1981: Sacred Heart Mission (Genesee, PA)
- 1981-1983: Leave of Absence (Raleigh, NC)
- 1983-1988: St. Agnes (Morrisdale, PA)
- 1988-1990: Leave of Absence – Outside Diocese
- 1990-2000: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sykesville, PA)
- 2000: Retired
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father William Presley:
Father William Prelsey was ordained a priest in 1956, and served in the Diocese of Raleigh. According to media reports, in has been accused of sexual abuse with allegations known by the Diocese of Erie as early as 1982. There were reports made to the Erie Diocese in November of 1987, of sexual abuse the year prior of a teen girl and teenage boy. Diocesan officials agreed that Presley was “extremely violent,” and he was sent away for a psych evaluation. He officially retired in 2000.
Three more victims came forward in April 2002, alleging sexual abuse by Father Presley. The abuse occurred from 1963-1974, one at age 13 and another a college student. Presley admitted to the abuse to Bishop Trautman and went into detail that included “choking, slapping, punching, rape, sodomy…” and many more. He was then placed on leave in 2002, and his privileges were also removed after an official investigation. The Diocese said that there were multiple victims or potential victims and he was officially laicized in 2006.
William Presley died in April of 2012. His name has been included in several diocese’s list of accused clergy including Harrisburg, Baltimore, Raleigh and a Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report. According to the Diocese of Raleigh, a victim reported to it in 2018 that he/she was sexually abused by Presley in 1971. No additional details about the Raleigh allegation have been released.
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