Three years ago, an accusation reached the District Attorney of Murcia from a bishop named José Manuel Lorca Planes. The complaint alleged sexual abuse of minors by Father Antonio L. Z., who previously served as parish priest of San Juan Bautista de Yecla and as chaplain at Virgen del Castillo Hospital. In a statement issued by the Diocese of Cartagena, Lorca Planes later joined with the pope to dismiss the priest under a policy of zero tolerance for such behavior.
Recently, there has been a new court sentence and a subsequent statement from the bishop. The provisional ruling from the Fifth Chamber of the County Court of Murcia found the priest guilty of offenses against a minor, sentencing him to seven years and nine months in prison and ordering a payment of 30,000 euros. The judgment also noted that there is no civil liability for the abuse. The diocese responded with renewed condemnation of the crimes attributed to the priest and emphasized the aggravating factor of the minor status of the victim.
In addition, the diocese reiterated its support for the victim and the victim’s family, describing assistance provided through the Episcopal Delegation for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults.
According to church procedure, the priest remains removed from active ministry during the ongoing canonical penal process. He was born in Monteagudo, Murcia, and his clerical journey included time in San Pedro del Pinatar, where he remained until 2013 when he was removed from the role of Parochial Regent in the San Pedro Apóstol and Nuestra Señora del Rosario areas. He later served in El Mirador in San Javier, moving to San Juan Bautista de Yecla as parish priest after the case was raised.
Reports from La Opinion de Murcia in February of the current year indicate that the priest faced two complaints of sexual abuse and one of sexual assault. In the first set, victims described being touched inappropriately, with the Prosecutor’s Office seeking sentences of five years in one case and four and six years in the other, suggesting that the priest may have abused two youths with whom he had some form of contact. Regarding sexual assault, including attempted penetration of a minor, prosecutors requested a twelve-year sentence.
In light of these accusations, the diocese has consistently refrained from allowing the priest to perform any religious duties during the open proceedings and requires him to stay within a designated area to remain accessible to justice authorities.
The district is not handling this matter alone, as another Cartagena priest has faced scrutiny since April 2021 over alleged abuse of a minor. The victim has criticized the diocese’s handling of the case, drawing scrutiny from the Murcia Attorney General’s office. An inspector visited the suspect, Father Samuel, and he was released with ongoing investigations into the allegations and the neighborhood assignment where he worked.
Lawyered under Article 183 of the current Penal Code, sexual abuse of minors is defined with penalties that typically range from two to six years in prison, and can be higher depending on the circumstances. The statute also recognizes aggravating factors, including when the victim is in a position of vulnerability due to age, illness, disability, or other conditions. Other aggravating conditions include abuse that exploits a position of trust or authority, such as a superior exploiting a subordinate or a religious authority abusing a child under their care.