Colombian Priest Faces Denaturalization Over Concealment of Material Facts
Jun 8, 2026
Country of origin: Colombia

A 69-year-old Colombian-born Roman Catholic priest is facing denaturalization after concealing his criminal conduct from immigration officials. He entered the United States in 1996 on a religious worker visa and served at churches in Virginia and Maryland, including parishes in Baltimore County and Harford County under the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He used his leadership position in the church to gain access to minor victims, sexually grooming and abusing a minor parishioner from age 11 to 13, and pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement, admitting to egregious conduct involving other minor victims, resulting in a 22-year prison sentence. The Department of Justice filed a complaint on June 5 alleging he concealed his ongoing crimes from immigration officials, illegally procuring his naturalization through concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentation of his sexual activity.
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