Luis Jesus Barajas, 76, a former priest from Colombia, has been staying with families in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. He was visiting the area where he was performing spiritual ceremonies in Spanish for Hispanic residents.
On October 10, 2023, Barajas was driven to a residence in Westlake, Cuyahoga County, Ohio to “bless” a girl, 15, who is undergoing chemotherapy. At the residence, he allegedly inappropriately touched the girl and used blankets and clothing to hide it from witnesses.
On October 23, 2023, Barajas was arrested at a residence in Elyria, Lorain County and charged with gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony. He was served a protection order for no contact with the victim.
In 1982, Barajas was ordained a Catholic priest in the U.S. In 1989, he was accused of sexual misconduct involving juveniles in the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA.
Because of the accusations, Barajas was removed from the priesthood and sent back to Colombia. In 2019, he was arrested in Virginia, USA on a felony charge of misconduct with a minor.
CONAN Daily 