Diocese: Archdiocese of New York
Religious Order: Carmelite
Notes:
Rodriguez was one of four priests accused of paying a 16-year-old boy, who worked as a church secretary, for sex between 1996 and 1998. At the time, Rodriguez was the pastor at St. Simon Stock parish. The teen alleged that Ruben Rodriguez was the leader of the group and used alcohol and pornography to groom him. The teen also alleged that he witnessed Rodriguez engaged in group masturbation with Rev. Esteban Rodriguez and Rev. John Albino. Rodriguez denied the allegations.
The boy and his family confronted church leaders in 1999, who reportedly tried to get them to sign a release. A civil suit was filed in 2000 and settled with the boy’s family prior to 2002.
In a 2002 New York Post interview, Rodriguez stated that he had been at a parish in San Juan, Puerto Rico since July 1999.
Sources: NY Post 06.23.01; NY Post 06.23.01; NY Post 06.24.01; NY Post 06.25.01; NY Post 06.28.01; Associated Press 09.14.02; USA Today 11.11.02; http://bishop-accountability.org/