Brother Lawrence Gordon
Archdiocese of New York (Marist Brothers)
Ordained: Unknown
Fired: 2011
Assignment History:
- 2010-2011: Mount Saint Michael Academy (Bronx, NY)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Brother Lawrence Gordon:
In November 2011, Br. Lawrence Gordon, a Marist brother working in the Archdiocese of New York, was arrested and criminally charged for possessing child pornography. Gordon was the assistant principal at Mount St. Michael Academy, an all-boys school in the Bronx, New York when he was found in possession of child pornography.
According to the New York Post, Gordon accidentally left a USB drive in the school computer that contained sexually explicit images of underage boys. Another teacher discovered the drive at the school, and Gordon was subsequently fired. Gordon was 65 years old at the time of this incident. Mount St. Michael Academy waited several weeks before notifying law enforcement about its discovery of the USB drive.
Gordon pleaded guilty to 10 counts of possession of child porn in order to avoid jail time. He was sentenced to a year at St. Luke Institute, an institution known for treating priests accused of child sexual abuse, and six months at St. Luke’s Halfway House. Gordon was also ordered to stay away from children and register as a sex offender. He did not receive any jail time.
In a letter to parents the school’s principal Brother Stephen Schlitte downplayed the seriousness of what was found on Gordon’s USB drive, referring to the pictures of child porn as “inappropriate images”. Schlitte also stated that “there are no allegations of misconduct against Brother Gordon in relation to his conduct with students of the Mount or any other persons”. Schlitte is apparently not including the children whose naked images were taken by producers of child pornography and then saved by Gordon to his USB drive as “other persons” who Brother Gordon violated.
Gordon’s current status as a brother, whereabouts, and whether he has access to children are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of New York. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or other Catholic clergy in New York State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of New York now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in New York and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.