A former Ohio priest was supposed to pray with a teen battling cancer; he molested her instead

WESTLAKE, Ohio — A former priest accused of “inappropriately touching” an Ohio teen sick with cancer while giving her a blessing is pleading guilty to charges.

Luis Barajas, 76, pleaded guilty to one count of gross sexual imposition this week and will be sentenced in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court later this month, according to WOIO in Cleveland.

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Barajas, a Columbian national, was arrested by Westlake police in October 2023. He has been staying with local families in Lorain County for several months.

In October, he was driven to Westlake to pay with the 15-year-old girl and her family.

Witnesses told police that he used blankets and clothing to hide his actions. They also reported that his movements during the blessing were “unconventional,” WOIO reported.

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Another Catholic priest reported Barajas after learning of the incident.

Around 1989, Barajas was accused of sexual misconduct involving juveniles in Pennsylvania, police said. He was sent back to Columbia after that.

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