Father Raymond Lauzon
Diocese of Portland
Ordained: 1955
Convicted: 1985
Died: 2005
Assigned as follows:
- St. Mark (Sheridan, ME)
- St. Joseph (Portland, ME)
- St. Anthony’s College (Kretinga, Lithuania)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Raymond Lauzon:
Fr. Raymond Lauzon was ordained a priest in 1955, and served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Portland. According to media reports, he has been accused of sexually abusing at least 18 Portland boys in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Fr. Lauzon founded the St. Joseph the Provider Thrift Store, which provided clothes and furniture for the needy. It was also the hub of an alleged pedophile ring in Portland.
In 1977, a Portland woman told five priests that she overheard a young man say that he brought runaway boys to St. Joseph the Provider Thrift Store where Fr. Lauzon and others would molest them. One of the priests, who was also an aid to the bishop, accused her of lying. It is unclear if the Diocese of Portland investigated this allegation.
In 1984, Fr. Lauzon was indicted on two counts of gross sexual misconduct and one count of witness tampering. The indictment noted two allegations of sexual misconduct against Lauzon: the first incident occurred between 1978-1979, and the second occurred in August 1982. After hearing that he was under investigation, Fr. Lauzon approached one of the alleged victims and begged him to recant his statement. In 1985, Lauzon pleaded guilty to witness tampering and spent 4 ½ months in jail. In return, the sex charges were dismissed. In 1993, Fr. Lauzon moved to Kretinga, Lithuania where he lived until his death in 2005.
In 1995, Fr. Lauzon was named in a lawsuit filed by four brothers, alleging that he repeatedly sexually abused them over several years beginning in the late 1970’s until Lauzon’s arrest in 1984. The assaults for each boy began between the ages of 8-11 and continued through their teenage years. One brother claimed over 100 incidents of abuse that occurred at the thrift store, in the rectory of St. Dominic’s Church, and in vehicles. Lauzon purchased clothes, food, motorcycles, a boat, and a car for the brothers. Lauzon reportedly introduced the brothers to at least two other pedophiles who also groomed and abused them. The suits were dismissed by mutual agreement, and the brothers received a combined settlement of $400,000.
In 1997, a Maine man filed a civil suit against Fr. Lauzon and the Diocese of Portland. The alleged victim claimed that Fr. Lauzon repeatedly sexually abused him over six years beginning when he was 10 years old. The victim claimed that Lauzon showered him with attention, gifts, food, and clothing. The alleged abuse took place at St. Joseph the Provider Thrift Store, the rectory of St. Dominic’s Church, and in cars.
In 2016, a man filed a lawsuit alleging that Fr. Lauzon and another priest repeatedly sexually abused him between 1979-1981. The alleged abuse occurred after Red Sox games at Fenway Park. After the games, the victim was brought to Fr. Lauzon’s home where he was assaulted by the two other priests.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Portland in Maine. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Maine, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Portland now have legal options, but filing deadlines may apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Maine and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.