A Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing Iowa altar boys in the 1980s has died, according to a Florida diocese where he lived until his death.
The Rev. Leo Riley was accused of misconduct toward multiple youths under age 12, and in 2024 was charged by Iowa prosecutors with five counts of second-degree sex abuse, which were later dismissed. The charges stemmed from Riley’s tenure as associate pastor at Resurrection Parrish, part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, from 1984 to 1986. Riley served the Dubuque archdiocese at multiple churches from 1982 to 2002.
After his time in Iowa, Riley moved to Florida, where he served in multiple churches under the Diocese of Venice, which extends along Florida’s west coast from the south shore of Tampa Bay to Marco Island, from 2002 to 2023. According to the diocese, which announced his death on Facebook, he died Tuesday, Dec. 16, at age 69.
Riley’s Iowa charges were dismissed after his attorneys successfully argued that under the law in effect at the time of the alleged offenses, the statute of limitations had expired. Court records show he faced at least one lawsuit related to alleged abuse in Florida prior to his death.
Guy R. Cook, a Des Moines attorney who represented Riley in Iowa, said in a statement that “the passing of Father Leo Riley was unexpected. His family and friend are still trying to come grips with his death.”
Cook added that Riley “was a well-regarded and much-loved priest at all the parishes he served” and that he “vigorously and steadfastly denied the more than 40-year-old allegations, for which there was no objective evidence.”
“Importantly, after the allegations were made, Father Riley cooperated with the Diocese’s investigation and successfully passed two separate polygraph examinations, conducted by two different former FBI Special Agents, confirming his denial of any wrongdoing,” Cook said.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former Iowa priest accused of child sexual abuse dies in Florida
Reporting by William Morris, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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