Retired Catholic priest arrested on sexual abuse charges

BLOOMFIELD — A retired Catholic priest now living in Springfield, Mo., was arrested Wednesday on multiple sexual abuse charges that allegedly occurred 20 years ago while he was a priest at an Advance parish.

Frederick Joseph Lutz, 76, was arrested on a Stoddard County warrant charging him with two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and the felonies of forcible sodomy and sexual abuse, Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver said in a news release.

After his arrest in Springfield, Lutz was transported to Bloomfield, where he was booked at the Stoddard County Jail. His bond is set at $125,000 cash only.

The charges stem from allegations, which were reported to have occurred in 2000 while Lutz served as the priest at St. Joseph Parish in Advance.

“The Missouri Attorney General’s Office discovered the allegations in church documents they received during an investigation of Catholic priest abuse,” Oliver said. “The attorney general referred the allegations to the Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Jan. 2, 2020, for investigation.”

Those allegations were that Lutz had sexually abused a 17-year-old male, identified as J.P., at his residence at the St. Joseph’s Parish in Advance between January and February 2000, according to a probable-cause affidavit from Tim McCoy, investigator with the prosecutor’s office

“According to reports, in 2000, J.P. was attending Public School Religion (PSR) classes at St. Joseph Parish,” McCoy said. “During that time, J.P. was also working around the parish doing landscaping around the rectory.”

At one point, between January and February 2000, Lutz allegedly called J.P. and asked him to come to the rectory, McCoy said.

“When J.P. arrived, Father Lutz was drinking alcohol and had a homosexual pornographic movie playing on the television,” McCoy said. “Father Lutz asked J.P. to drink alcohol with him, but J.P. declined and attempted to leave.”

Lutz allegedly blocked the teen’s exit and told him he wanted to perform a sex act on the teen, McCoy said.

“J.P. again attempted to leave, but was stopped by Father Lutz,” McCoy said. “Father Lutz eventually forced J.P. to have (deviant sexual intercourse) with him for a short time before J.P. was able to leave.”

When the teen arrived home, McCoy said, he told his father what had occurred.

McCoy said the teen’s father spoke with his son’s PSR teacher to see if any other incidents had been reported about Lutz.

“The PSR teacher in turn told Father Lutz about the conversation,” McCoy said. “A few weeks later, Father Lutz called (the teen’s father) to his office and apologized for the incident and gave the excuse he had been drinking.”

The teen’s father described Lutz as being very nervous and sweating as he explained what allegedly had occurred with the teen, McCoy said.

“(The teen’s father) stated Father Lutz admitted to him that he was homosexual and had recently broken up with a boyfriend that had been living with him at the rectory,” McCoy said.

On Jan. 22, McCoy said, he spoke with J.P., who provided the same account of the incident that previously had been reported.

McCoy said J.P. alleged Lutz performed a sexual act on him, and he had performed a “nonconsensual” sexual act on Lutz.

“J.P. stated that Father Lutz wanted him (J.P.) to bring him some marijuana,” McCoy said. “J.P. stated by agreeing to bring marijuana back the next day, Father Lutz allowed him to leave the rectory.”

During the investigation, McCoy said, he learned of an additional incident involving Lutz, which occurred in Cape Girardeau County in 1972.

McCoy said a man, identified as S.E., reported he was 17 years old in the summer of 1972 and was working a summer job at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau.

“S.E. stated one weekend he had gone with Lutz and another man he only knew as ‘Tex’ to an event in Ste. Genevieve, Mo.,” McCoy said. “He stated after the event was over, they returned to Tex’s apartment in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

“S.E. stated they all began drinking alcohol, and he (S.E.) passed out.”

McCoy said S.E. reported when he woke up, he noticed he was in the bishop’s bed at St. Mary’s Church, and Lutz allegedly was performing a sexual act on him.

S.E. reported he went to mass on Sunday morning, and Lutz came out of the rectory and handed him a Bible, McCoy said.

“He stated Lutz told him what happened never should have happened and wished him good luck in college,” McCoy said

S.E. made a formal complaint with the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese in 2006, McCoy said.

“S.E. stated at the time of the incident, Lutz was a transitional deacon at the church,” and had not been appointed as a priest yet, McCoy said.

As indicated in the probable-cause affidavit, the investigation revealed multiple alleged victims, Oliver said.

“The investigation as to additional victims is ongoing,” Oliver said. “Mr. Lutz served as a priest in several Southeast Missouri communities from the early ‘70s to the late 2000s. …

“Should any additional victims of the defendant exist, we want those victims to know that although decades may have passed, we will pursue justice for all victims of the defendant.”

If anyone has information as to additional victims, Oliver asked that contact be made with McCoy at 573-568-4640 ext. 4.

Oliver provided a list of Lutz’s previous appointments. They were:

• Transitional deacon, St. Mary of Annunciation Cathedral in Cape Girardeau (1972);

• Transitional deacon, Holy Trinity Parish in Springfield (1973);

• Associate pastor, Holy Trinity Parish in Springfield (1973);

• Leave to Archdiocese of San Francisco (1974);

• Parochial administrator, SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Pulaskifield, Mo., and St. Edward Parish in Cassville, Mo. (1975);

• Pastor, St. William Parish, Buffalo, Mo.; chaplain, Fordland Honor Camp; and parochial administrator, Sacred Heart Parish, Conway, Mo. (1975);

• Leave (1981);

• 30-day retreat (1986);

• Pastor, Immaculate Conception Parish, Jackson (1987);

• Pastor, SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Pulaskifield, and St. Edward Parish in Cassville (1988);

• Pastor, St. Susanne Parish, Mount Vernon, Mo., and St. Patrick Mission Church, Greenfield, Mo. (1991);

• Pastor, Guardian Angel Parish, Oran (1994);

• Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Advance, and St. Anthony Mission Church, Glennon (1996);

• Pastor, St. Benedict Church, Doniphan, and St. Anne Mission Church, Grandin (now closed) (2003);

• Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Lamar, Mo., (2005);

• Health leave (2009);

• Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Lamar, (2010); and

• Retired (2011).