Leo P. Riley

A Charlotte County priest was arrested on multiple counts of capital sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.

Detectives from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit worked with the Dubuque, Iowa Police Department’s Special Victims Unit to arrest Leo P. Riley, 68, at his Port Charlotte home today. Dubuque Police Department had developed probable cause for five counts of capital sexual battery within their jurisdiction.

Riley was a past priest at the Resurrection Church in Dubuque, Iowa. In Charlotte County, he was a Priest at Saint Charles Borromeo in Port Charlotte in the early 2000’s, and is currently assigned to San Antonio Catholic Church, also in Port Charlotte.

Riley was located, arrested, and transported to the Charlotte County Jail without incident.

“If the accusations are true, then we have had a sexual predator living among us in Charlotte County that was trusted by far too many people simply because of his position,” said Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell. “It is likely that there are more victims, and I encourage them to come forward so that we can make sure this type of heinous thing does not happen to anyone else here. It doesn’t matter when it happened; but what does matter is that the truth needs to be shared and justice needs to be served. We stand with you.”

If anyone has information pertaining to Riley or is a victim of these types of crimes within Charlotte County, please contact the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number 941-639-2101.