Four years after the investigation into religious leaders, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has received more than 300 reports.

 Four years after the investigation into religious leaders, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has received more than 300 reports.

MADISON – Four years after launching an investigation to examine the prevalence of abuse by religious leaders in Wisconsin, Attorney General Josh Kaul is still collecting reports from the public.

Since its inception, the investigation into clergy and religious leaders has led to allegations against numerous individuals and has resulted in the collection of hundreds of reports from religious organizations across the state.

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"We've taken a consistent approach throughout this initiative: follow the information and move forward," Kaul said in an interview. "And we are committed to ensuring that any of our reports and information are based on facts.

But as the years pass, some have begun to question why the investigation is taking so long, and when the final report will be released.

Here's what we know about the ongoing investigation.

What exactly is the investigation focused on?

The Justice Department has launched an investigation to investigate claims of sexual abuse by clergy of all denominations, with a particular interest in the Catholic Church.

After attorneys general in other states launched investigations and revealed that some church denominations knew about sexual abuse by ruling leaders but did not report it, lawyers pressured Kaul to launch the investigation.

So far, many reports have been related to Catholic clergy, but reports have also come from many other denominations.

How many reports has the Justice Department received?

As of September 29, the Justice Department has received 326 reports of abuse.

This number increased from 274 in April. has increased to 2024.

What has been accomplished so far?

Charges have been filed against several current or former clergy members or counselors. The abuse cases have also been reported to a religious authority, and the abuser has been added to the list of credibly accused abusers.

In April of this year, former youth pastor James Lane, 53, pleaded guilty to repeatedly sexually assaulting a child in Wood County. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of extended supervision.

According to a Justice Department release, the abuse occurred between September 2002 and December 2003, while Lane was driving the child home from Faith Reformed Church in Wisconsin Rapids.

Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the Catholic Church was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault for an incident that occurred in 1977. The former cardinal allegedly sexually abused the victim repeatedly over time, including once while staying as a guest at a residence in Lake Geneva. The case also involved the molestation of a minor.

In January, the court ruled McCarrick was not competent to stand trial. He passed away earlier this year.

In addition, abuse by John Cullinan, a late Catholic priest serving in the La Crosse Diocese, was first reported. The Justice Department worked with the diocese to add his name to its list of priests with substantiated allegations of abuse.

In May 2022, an arrest warrant was issued for 61-year-old Jeffrey Anthony Charles, whom police say sexually assaulted a minor at a cabin in Douglas County between 2005 and 2010.

Charles, at the time of the attack, was employed as pastor of Neighbors to Nations, a non-denominational church in Princeton, Minnesota, but regularly visited his Wisconsin cabin with parishioners. He is accused of assaulting the victim four times over five years, when she was between 3 and 7 years old.

February In 2022, 33-year-old Remington resident John Nystrom was charged with one count of first-degree sexual contact with a minor, sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13, in connection with an incident that occurred in 2009. According to police, Nystrom was a counselor at Mount Morris Camp in Waushara County when he inappropriately touched a sleeping child. The camp is affiliated with the Moravian Church in America.

Nystrom was convicted of second-degree sexual abuse of a child and sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by 10 years of additional supervision.

Two cases have also been handed over to Brown County investigators, but no charges have yet been filed there.

What role are Catholic dioceses playing in the investigation?

So far, Wisconsin's Catholic dioceses have refused to share information with the Justice Department. However, they stated at the start of the investigation that if there are any specific allegations against any current, living members of the clergy, they would share information. will be shared with investigators.

In 2023, Kaul sought access to court documents sealed a decade earlier as part of a bankruptcy petition filed by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee related to a $21 million settlement to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse.

In October 2024, a federal judge denied Kaul and his team of investigators access, stating that the Justice Department failed to make a valid case for reconsideration of the bankruptcy decision and did not provide an adequate plan to notify victims of clergy abuse about its request for records.

For years, rumors have circulated about the bankruptcy filing, which included the names of other abusive priests, but these claims have never been confirmed.

What is the status of the final report?

Kaul stated in an interview on September 25 that he does not know when the final report will be released

When did Kaul begin the investigation?

Kaul announced the start of his investigation in April 2021, accompanied by advocates and loved ones of Nate Lindstrom. Lindstrom committed suicide after being abused by a priest as a child.

What have critics of the investigation said?

Critics of the investigation have pressured Kaul to obtain documents and information from the Catholic Church, and specifically the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Although Kaul has tried to obtain files from the Archdiocese, he has been unsuccessful.

Critics are also concerned that the investigation has been ongoing for so long and no report has been released. Other states have taken much less time.

When asked about the criticism, Kaul said, "We are committed to conducting a comprehensive review, and our goal is not to release a report by a specific date, but to release a report that we believe does justice to the work that has been done."

What happens when someone reports?

When a victim or someone with information about abuse reports through the hotline or online, they are connected to a victim services worker who can direct them to resources if needed.