A now-deceased priest from the Diocese of Buffalo (New York) sexually abused multiple young kids and forced them into group sex with each other while he watched and participated, according to a lawsuit.

The plaintiff, whose name is redacted in a version of the complaint that’s online, said he was sexually abused by Rev. Richard P. Judd along with several other children in 1975. In 2018, Judd was included on a list of priests who had been accused of child sex abuse, but further information wasn’t disclosed.

The plaintiff said Judd groomed several young boys and then sexually assaulted them, including by forcing them to have sex with a young girl in front of each other in the church rectory. The complaint says he talked to the boys about inappropriate topics, checked them out of school, and encouraged them to drink and smoke with him.

The specific incident that’s leading to all kinds of headlines occurred on Feb. 23, 1975. and it involved two other young boys, Jerry T. and Matthew W., and a young girl by the name of Grace Anne.

For several hours PLAINTIFF and the other boys and FR. JUDD drank beer, watched sports, and smoked cigarettes, until PLAINTIFF started to become intoxicated. After hours had passed, FR. JUDD asked Jerry T. if he should invite someone named Grace Anne to the apartment… Shortly thereafter FR. JUDD called to PLAINTIFF and Matthew W. and they entered the bedroom. PLAINTIFF observed Jerry T. engaging in sexual intercourse with Grace Anne, with FR. JUDD assisting by manipulating Jerry T.’s penis and instructing Jerry T. from behind. All three were in a state of complete undress. PLAINTIFF quickly felt uncomfortable as he stood observing Jerry T., FR. JUDD, and Grace Anne naked in bed, the latter of which appeared to be under the influence of some type of drug. PLAINTIFF had never engaged in sexual intercourse before.

After this incredibly disturbing experience, Judd allegedly coerced Matthew onto the bed and repeated the actions he did with the first child. The complaint goes on to say Judd noticed the plaintiff didn’t have an erection and sexually assaulted the child to try to change that. The plaintiff was then allegedly pressured to have sex with the girl — at which point he left the building without even talking to his friends.

A few days later, the plaintiff went to church to confess his sins… but the only priest on duty was Judd. The plaintiff discussed the incident anyway “as if he was speaking to a different priest.” Judd offered a few prayers and told the plaintiff to perform three “Hail Mary’s” and one “Our Father.”

The plaintiff says the church and its leaders either knew about Judd’s predatory behavior or didn’t to the point of negligence. He’s still suffering the side effects decades later, including psychological and emotional problems.

These problems include, but are not limited to, severe depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, inability to manage anger, alcoholism and drug abuse, sex addiction, difficulty trusting others, guilt and shame. The abuse has also negatively impacted his family relationships. PLAINTIFF has had difficulty affectionate touching others, including his wife, without experiencing a feeling of anxiety. The impact of the abuse has prevented and will continue to prevent PLAINTIFF from obtaining full enjoyment of his life…

The only reason we’re seeing this complaint now, more than 40 years after the incident occurred, is because New York passed the Child Victims Act earlier this month. Part of the law says people are allowed to file lawsuits in child sex-abuse cases, even if the statute of limitations had expired, for one full year. (Under the old law, you only had five years to file these types of cases.)

The “look-back window” led to 427 new lawsuits filed on the first day the law went into effect.

If the allegations at the heart of this complaint are true, it’s understandable why the plaintiff was traumatized. Here’s hoping he gets justice.

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Brian for the link)

