Priest In Hiding? Diocese Of Joliet Clergy Accused Of Sexual Assault At Hammel Woods Can't Be Found: Deputy

JOLIET, IL — As Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks prepares for his upcoming promotion and move to the Big Apple, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the new archbishop of New York, a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Diocese of Joliet and one of Joliet's priests is off to a slow and mysterious start.

It has now been two and a half months since Joliet Patch first broke the news, revealing the filing of the sexual harassment lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse against the Diocese of Joliet and Father Nestor Sanchez, a Catholic priest who has served in recent years at Saints Peter and Paul in Naperville and as pastor in small-town parishes including Paxton and Gibson City. The lawsuit was filed in connection with Father Sanchez's assignment at Holy Family Parish on Route 59 in Shorewood.

The lawsuit was filed by a woman who lives in DuPage County. On Nov. 4, she was granted permission from Will County Associate Judge Ben Braun to use the fictitious name of Jane Doe, court files show. The woman was employed by the Diocese of Joliet at Holy Family Catholic Church in Shorewood, according to attorney Melissa Anderson, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Frost Pearlman LLC and The Law Offices of Ruth Major.

On Tuesday, a Will County Sheriff's deputy filed additional court documents into the lawsuit file. In regard to the civil lawsuit summons for Father Sanchez, the sheriff's deputy checked the box declaring, "I have made diligent search and inquiry and am unable to find said defendant."

The sheriff's deputy wrote in her court filing, "two attempts made. No longer at this address per current occupant."

Father Sanchez's Photo, Phone Number Still Listed On St. Mary's Website

The location where the Will County sheriff's deputy traveled to serve Father Sanchez with the sexual harassment lawsuit against him was 150 N. Maple Street in Paxton — the address for the St. Mary & St. Joseph Parish Center, which is just north of St. Mary Catholic Church, according to the parish website.

Incidentally, one day after Joliet Patch broke the news revealing the DuPage County woman's lawsuit, a statement appeared on the Diocese's website, informing everyone, "Because the lawsuit filed affects the public nature of Fr. Nestor Sanchez’s ministry and out of an abundance of caution, the Diocese has decided to suspend his ministry while the lawsuit is pending. We ask for prayers for all those affected and remain steadfast in our mission to foster a safe and faithful community."

In spite of the Diocese's statement, the website for St. Mary Catholic Church in Paxton continues to identify Father Sanchez as the church's pastor. It contains his photo and a phone number to reach him. At 4 p.m. Dec. 31, Joliet Patch's editor called, seeking to reach the former Holy Family priest. The phone number rang several times before going to a general voicemail system.

Lawsuit: Father Sanchez Assigned To Holy Family Parish In Shorewood

According to Jane Doe's lawsuit, Fr. Sanchez was assigned to Holy Family in Shorewood from July 2019 through June 2022, before being assigned to other Diocese of Joliet parishes. The plaintiff began working at Holy Family on Nov. 4, 2019, and "even after being reassigned from Holy Family, Sanchez maintained and exercised authority over plaintiff by initiating text and phone communications regarding work-related matters, directing plaintiff to assist him with tasks despite not being stationed at her parish, dictating when and where spiritual counseling meetings would occur," her lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that Fr. Sanchez met with the woman and her husband "under the guise of providing spiritual guidance and using his clerical role and influence to ensure plaintiff's compliance with his directives."

Father Sanchez Directs Woman To Meet Him In Hammel Woods: Lawsuit

On July 2, 2024, Father Sanchez directed the woman to meet him at the Hammel Woods Forest Preserve, which is right next to the Holy Family Catholic Church property off Route 59, "a location near her workplace where they had met previously," the lawsuit outlines. "Plaintiff acquiesced due to Sanchez's position as her priest, confessor, spiritual adviser and superior within the Diocese.

"Rather than meet at the populated entrance, Sanchez locked the doors to his vehicle and drove plaintiff to a secluded location deeper in the preserve. There, Sanchez sexually assaulted plaintiff against her will," her attorney asserted.

The woman reported the sexual assault to law enforcement immediately, triggering a criminal investigation, her lawyer said. At the urging of Diocese of Joliet human resources director Pamela Geary, the plaintiff also reported the assault to the Diocese of Joliet, court files show.

The lawsuit explained that on March 4 of this year, the Diocese HR director revealed that the Diocese of Joliet concluded that "mutual, inappropriate, consensual behavior" occurred and that Sanchez's conduct did not constitute harassment.

"By so concluding, the Diocese branded plaintiff a liar, undermined her credibility and protected Sanchez," her lawyer asserted. "The Diocese's determination was unsupported by evidence beyond Sanchez's denial, which even law enforcement could not credit. The Diocese's actions violated its own written policies, including its Whistleblower and Anti-Retaliatory Policy, which promised no retaliation against employees who reported misconduct in good faith."

Bishop Hicks Prepares For Move To New York City

The Will County lawsuit against the Diocese of Joliet and Father Sanchez accuses the defendants of negligent supervision, sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, battery/sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damage in excess of $50,000, punitive damages and legal costs for bringing the lawsuit.

While Father Sanchez's whereabouts remain unknown and Bishop Hicks is packing up his suitcases for New York City, the Diocese of Joliet has not announced a temporary or permanent replacement for Hicks, who came to Joliet in the summer of 2020 after serving as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

In regard to Jane Doe's lawsuit, the next bishop of Joliet will have to be involved in key decisions such as determining a legal strategy and whether or not to pursue a settlement offer. Additionally, there is the lingering question as to the fate of Father Sanchez. Will he be returned to his assigned ministry in Paxton and Gibson City or could he be sent somewhere else in the Diocese of Joliet?

According to his biography, Fr. Nestor Sanchez was born close to Mexico City in 1985. He began his priestly vocation in Mexico, where he served for 10 years. "In 2015 I was invited to the Diocese of Joliet, arriving in the United States," his biography states. " I completed by Master of Divinity degree in December 2018, and graduated with my class in May 2019. Having served as Deacon at St. John Paul II in Kankakee, I was then ordained a priest that same month and year. For the past three years, I have acted as Parochial Vicar for Holy Family in Shorewood. Along this path, I have received guidance and help from priests and parishioners alike (along with staff members, of course!)"