New Sexual Assault Claims Against Formerly Imprisoned Priest Of Ballantyne Church Surfaces

Fresh sexual assault claims against a Former Catholic priest Robert Yurgel have surfaced yet again. Yurgel, who served a prison sentence in 2009 for abusing an altar boy at St. Matthew in the late 1990s, has been accused of assaulting another man inside Ballantyne Church when he was as young as 5. Prior to this, Yurgel served nearly eight years in prison for abusing altar boy Robby Price in 1999.

“It was all on the grounds on the church,” said Nate Foote, attorney for the victim, who is now in his late 20s. “Yurgel convinced our client the sexual abuse was part of a confession ritual,” added the attorney.

As per a report, the lawsuit against the Charlotte Diocese, Capuchin Franciscan Friars, and Yurgel claims the abuse occurred between July 1997 and Oct. 1999 when the plaintiff was between five and seven years old.

The Charlotte Diocese maintained that they first learned of the new allegation earlier this year and just received the lawsuit Monday and said in part: “The diocese takes all allegations of child sexual abuse seriously no matter when they might have occurred and continues to encourage anyone who has information about possible abuse to report it to police.”

This legal action was made possible after North Carolina lawmakers gave a nod to the Safe Child Act last year, which enables adults the leeway to seek justice in civil court.

“Our client and we believe Yurgel and the diocese should not be able to move on with their business and move on with their lives while our client suffers,” said Foote. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has informed the diocese that a deeper probe into the matter is underway.