Victim advocate calls for former cardinal to be federally charged following sexual assault allegations

By: Michele Fiore, Posted: Apr 17, 2023 9:31 PM CDT

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- We're learning that a trail of sexual abuse by a former cardinal in the Catholic church has led to Wisconsin.

Theodore McCarrick is facing multiple charges across the country, but new court records allege he repeatedly molested a child at a cabin on Geneva Lake in 1977. 

The former cardinal is now 92 years old. Theodore McCarrick has faced numerous accusations of sexual abuse, including accusations that the Catholic church had to pay the victims for. This latest case -- a man who says he was 11 when McCarrick repeatedly sexually assaulted him at a Geneva Lake cabin. 

"It's the system that McCarrick was part of and represented. That's what needs to be changed and reformed," said Peter Isely, Nate's Mission founder.

Peter Isely, a victim advocate, is calling for the former cardinal to face federal charges. He says Theodore McCarrick had a reputation and others in the church knew it. 

"McCarrick -- there has not been one official in the Catholic church that has been charged for covering up crimes that allowed him to do this," said Isely.

Nate's Mission produced a documentary called "Manufacturing the Clerical Predator," interviewing victims with Wisconsin connections. One recalled being warned by others that McCarrick had a reputation for hitting on these young men. 

"He should die in prison. That's the minimum punishment he can be given because he put so many people, so many children, so many seminarians, he put them in a prison," said Isely.

McCarrick retired in 2006 but continued to be active in the church until he was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019. 

This case from 1977 would have been thrown out due to the statute of limitations, but because McCarrick, the offender, left the state, it doesn't apply. That's an important note for anyone looking to prosecute a case like this.

"If your offender, the person that assaulted and harmed you as a child, that if he or she is no longer in the state of Wisconsin, that could possibly be prosecuted," said Isely.

McCarrick's attorney claims he has dementia and isn't competent to stand trial.