Brother Joseph (Jesse) Gutierrez-Cervantes
Diocese of Oakland
Joined order: N/A
Left order: 1985
Dismissed: 1986
Assigned as follows:
- 1970: Christ the King (San Antonio, TX)
- 1971- 1972: St. Peter Church (Lamitan, Philippines)
- 1973-1974: Rt. 4, Box 105G (San Antonio, TX)
- 1975-1980: Cordi Marian-Sisters/Villa (San Antonio, TX)
- 1981-1984: St. Anthony Claret (Fresno, CA)
- 1984-1986: Hanna Boys Center (Sonoma, CA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Brother Joseph (Jesse) Gutierrez-Cervantes:
Br. Joseph (Jesse) Gutierrez-Cervantes was a member of the Brothers of the Christian School, Christian Brothers religious order. He was a teacher at De La Salle and a licensed therapist at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. According to a 1968 memo by his provincial, Gutierrez-Cervantes was transferred to Concord from Berkeley, “where he had relationships with students that had sexual overtones”. According to media reports, he left the order in 1985. He worked as a counselor at Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma, California. The following year, in 1986, he was fired after his patients said he sexually abused them during therapy sessions.
In 2003, Gutierrez-Cervantes was named in a civil lawsuit that alleged he sexually abused a minor at De La Salle High School. The suit was settled for $4 million in late 2004. In early 2019, new allegations of child sexual abuse in 1986 surfaced. In October 2019, Gutierrez-Cervantes was named in a lawsuit filed by another De La Salle alumnus alleging that he drugged and abused him multiple times while he was a student from 1968 to 1972.
“I’ve suffered from anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, you know, have been diagnosed with bipolar, PTSD. Pretty much everything you can think of,” the former student said.
Gutierrez-Cervantes’ name appeared on the Diocese of Oaklands’ 2019 list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors. He was last known to have a communication consulting company in Sonoma and went by the name of Jesse Gutierrez-Cervantes.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Oakland. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or other Catholic clergy in California State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Oakland 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 Oakland and nationwide. We can help.
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