Disgraced Priest Served at St. Mark's Parish in Phoenix 

Four years after he was removed from ministry due to allegations of inappropriate contact with children, Rev. Robert R. Marsicek, a Milwaukee priest, was charged with three counts of misdemeanor sexual assault of a child. Although Marsicek was sentenced to one year in jail, there may be more possible accusation of sexual assault in the near future. The Diocese of Phoenix recently told The Arizona Republic that Marsicek served at St. Marks Parish in South Phoenix in 1974.

"According to our records, there have been no reported incidents or allegations against Father Marsicek in the Diocese of Phoenix. Anyone who has been a victim of abuse or who may have information concerning this situation is encouraged to call a local law enforcement agency,” the Diocese said in a statement.

In 2016, Marsicek originally faced three felony counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, but he entered an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to fourth-degree sexual assault, which is a misdemeanor that involves sexual touching. According to the victim, the priest grabbed her buttocks, touched her breasts and patted her vagina on several occasions. At his sentencing, the victim, now 16, told the judge how Marsicek repeatedly molested her, starting in the first grade.

Now, prosecutors are looking into other potential victims. Records don't say how long Marsicek was at St. Marks Parish, but there are indications that he was assigned there in 1974 and moved to Alabama in 1975.

Phoenix Attorney Robert Pastor, from Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A., told the Arizona Republic that Marsicek is the third priest assigned to St. Mark's Catholic Church who has been indicted or convicted of child sexual abuse. Attorney Pastor is currently representing a victim of another priest in a civil lawsuit against the Catholic Church.

“Father Robert Marsicek, Father Joseph Henn, and Father Dennis Pecore are Catholic priests from the same religious order in Wisconsin assigned to St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Phoenix, all of whom have been indicted or convicted for child sexual abuse," Pastor said. "This is a clear pattern of shuffling pedophile priests to unsuspecting communities so that the Catholic Church can avoid scandal."

Fighting to Keep Our Children Safe

At Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A., our Phoenix sexual abuse attorneys are relentless when it comes to making sure our clients get the compensation they deserve after suffering sexual abuse. While money won’t take away the pain and trauma, taking legal action against sexual abusers can help bring closure and make our community a safer place.

Call (602) 483-6869 or contact us online to get a free consultation.