Accused Wyoming Bishop Faces Even More Allegations

Church Militant ^ | 8/19/19 | David Nussman

[marshmallow]

Reports of four new abuse allegations against Bp. Emeritus Joseph Hart of Cheyenne diocese

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (ChurchMilitant.com) - A spokesman for the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri is announcing that four more allegations of sex abuse have been made this year against Bp. Emeritus Joseph Hart of Wyoming's Cheyenne diocese.

Reportedly, three men accused Bp. Hart of sexual abuse in Wyoming, and 10 more of Bp. Hart's alleged victims have already reached settlements with the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese — where Hart was ordained and served as a priest for 20 years.

But another four accusations have been made in the past year, a diocesan official said on Aug. 15.

Jack Smith, a spokesman for the Kansas City-St.Joseph diocese, said that the diocese "has turned over all information we have about allegations pertaining to Bp. Hart to the diocese of Cheyenne, which I understand they have shared with local law enforcement in Cheyenne."

This apparently makes for 17 known abuse allegations against the bishop emeritus of Cheyenne. Some say there are even more victims who have not yet come forward.

On Aug. 14, the Cheyenne Police Department announced it was recommending criminal charges against two people accused of sexually abusing minors. The police did not disclose the names of the accused, but news reports noted that some of the allegations against Bp. Hart match the allegations described by the police.