Priest Sought for Allegedly Molesting 5 Boys Over 17 Years
After a yearlong inquiry into the background of a Long Beach Catholic priest, authorities issued an arrest warrant alleging that he sexually molested five boys over 17 years.
Father Theodore Llanos, 49, was charged with 38 felony counts of child sexual molestation involving the five youngsters, who were 11 to 14 at the time the molestations allegedly occurred, Long Beach police officials said. Llanos’ attorney told the district attorney’s office he would surrender the priest, but had not done so by Tuesday evening, police said.
Investigators launched their probe last November after an alleged victim told police he had been molested by the priest. Since then, 15 other youngsters have claimed that they also were molested, police said.
Llanos, who had been assigned to half a dozen parishes in the Los Angeles area, including St. Lucy’s Church and St. Barnabas Church in Long Beach, was removed from his post in September, 1994. Police declined to say where Llanos is now.
Detective Mike Holguin said the Los Angeles Archdiocese did not cooperate in the investigation.
“They didn’t give us anything,” Holguin said.
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