Southeast : Priest in Molestation Case Fails to Surrender to Police

A Long Beach Catholic priest accused of molesting five youngsters over a 17-year span has not surrendered to authorities, nearly two weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest, police said Monday.

Father Theodore Llanos, 49, was charged with 38 felony counts of child sexual molestation involving five boys, who were 11 to 14 at the time the molestations allegedly occurred.

Fifteen alleged victims came forward after an investigation began last year, and in the last two weeks five other men once active in the church have told police they were molested by the priest when they were minors, said Long Beach Detective Randi Castillo.

Authorities have had contact with Llanos’ attorney, and police expect Llanos to surrender this week. Still, authorities said they are frustrated by the delay.

Llanos 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. According to police, Llanos was removed from his post in September, 1994, after allegations of molestation surfaced.