Fr. Carmelo Baltazar – Diocese of Santa Rosa

On Behalf of | Dec 14, 2020 | Abuser Profiles, Catholic Church

Father Carmelo Baltazar

Diocese of Santa Rosa (Malolos, Philippines)

Ordained: 1960

Convicted: 1985

Died: Unknown

Assigned as Follows:

  • Diocese of Malolos (Philippines)
  • 1981-1982: Queen of the Valley Hospital (West Covina, CA)
  • 1983: St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center (Boise, ID)
  • 1983-1984: Diocese of Cleveland
  • 1984-1985:Diocese of Santa Rosa
  • 1985: Diocese of San Diego

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Carmelo Baltazar:

Fr. Carmelo Baltazar was originally ordained in the Diocese of Malolos in the Philippines in 1960. He served in multiple dioceses including in the Diocese of Santa Rosa. Father Baltazar was reportedly first suspected of sexually abusing boys in 1966. He was working under the Diocese of Cleveland at the time the news of abuse broke. He was then transferred over to the Diocese of Santa Rosa in 1981.

According to media reports, in 1984, Father Carmelo Baltazar was criminally charged and convicted of lewd conduct with a 15-year-old boy in Idaho and sentenced to seven years in prison. During the trial, it was made clear that his supervisors at church assignments around the world were aware that he had been sexually abusing young boys for the past 20 years. It was also known that Father Baltazar would go after young boys who were mentally unstable, or physically unwell. It was even documented that he abused one teenage boy who was connected to a dialysis machine and another in a double-leg traction.

After the sentencing, he was released from prison after three years and sent to treatment. In 2003, a civil suit against Baltazar was filed and claimed that the plaintiff lived with Baltazar and traveled with him for 5 years during military assignments. Since then, he has been named in several other civil suits against him and several dioceses that he was transferred too over the years. Fr. Baltazar has been included on Santa Rosa’s list of accused priests as of January 2019, and also on Las Vegas Diocese’s list as well as Reno’s and Boise’s list in 2019.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California.  If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in one of California’s Catholic dioceses, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Santa Rosa now have legal options due to a voluntary compensation fund created by the Diocese of Santa Rosa, 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 California and nationwide. We can help.

Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.