A New York state lawmaker is calling on New York State Police to open a dedicated investigation into a western New York diocese, days after a diocesan priest was arrested on federal child sexual abuse material charges. The diocese is already years into a bankruptcy covering hundreds of abuse claims, and survivors do not have to wait on any new investigation to act.
Reviewed by Abuse Justice Center · Updated 2026-10-28
Figures drawn from bankruptcy and litigation reporting on the western New York diocese's abuse settlement.
The lawmaker publicly called on New York State Police to take the lead on investigating child sexual abuse tied to the western New York diocese, arguing that criminal investigations into diocese-related misconduct have historically been scattered across local police departments without coordination. He sent a formal letter asking a State Police troop commander in Western New York to help organize a more centralized response.
The lawmaker has said that many priests he personally knew growing up in the diocese were later credibly accused of child sexual abuse, and framed the request as an effort to stop what he described as an institution that has, in his words, moved accused clergy from parish to parish rather than confronting them.
The lawmaker's call came shortly after federal investigators arrested the western New York diocese priest on charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. According to reporting, the priest had reportedly been on administrative leave since 2019 over separate conduct concerns, and the diocese has said it was not previously aware of allegations involving child exploitation material against him.
The FBI's involvement reportedly began after Scottish officials flagged a Telegram group where members were viewing exploitative material together over video calls, an international thread that eventually led investigators back to the priest in New York.
The western New York diocese has been working through Chapter 11 bankruptcy for years, and its case already includes close to 900 filed abuse claims, with a proposed settlement fund of roughly $273.9 million on the table, a figure that has grown over time as more insurers have been brought into the deal. Attorney fees alone are projected at nearly $91.8 million of that total.
Those numbers reflect a diocese with a long, well-documented history of abuse claims well before this latest arrest, which is part of why the lawmaker and others argue that a single new criminal case should not be treated as an isolated incident.
A state police task force, if it happens at all, would take time to organize and would not, by itself, compensate any individual survivor. Civil claims against the diocese, an individual parish, or another Catholic institution in New York do not depend on that investigation moving forward, or on any new criminal charges being filed against anyone.
If you were abused by clergy or another Catholic institution employee in New York, whether or not that person is connected to this specific case, an attorney can review your situation confidentially, explain how the state's expanded filing deadlines may apply, and tell you whether your claim could be part of the diocese's existing bankruptcy process or pursued separately.
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News of a new arrest or a lawmaker's call for investigation can bring old memories back to the surface. Here is what matters if that is happening to you right now.
Abuse Justice Center is a free information resource, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice. Ask any attorney how they charge before you agree. Need support now? The RAINN hotline is 800-656-4673, 24/7.
No. A state police investigation, if one happens, is separate from your right to pursue a civil claim, which you can do now.
That does not matter for purposes of a civil claim. Claims connected to any clergy member, employee, or volunteer of the diocese can potentially be pursued.
Not automatically. Bankruptcy cases typically have a claims process with its own deadlines, so timing matters, but it is worth checking your options rather than assuming the door is closed.
A call for a new investigation is a step toward accountability, but it is not a settlement or a guarantee of any outcome. It does not change what options are available to you individually.