The story of priest Robert Marcantonio is one of the more "egregious" spelled out in Attorney General Peter Neronha's recently released report on clergy sex abuse, and coverup, in the Diocese of Providence.
It's a story that spans decades, hundreds of miles, and more than a dozen alleged incidents of abuse across at least two states.
Marcantonio had the same number of alleged victims as notorious Irish visiting priest Brendan Smyth.
Here's the story, laid out in the report:
Marcantonio accused of abusing 'ten to fifteen' boys in RI
The story begins in 1970.
Following accusations that Marcantonio had abused "ten to fifteen" different boys, Bishop Russell McVinney "pushed unsuccessfully for Marcantonio to voluntarily leave the priesthood."
The report says that there is no indication in the diocesan records that further steps were taken to remove Marcantonio from the priesthood, or that any diocesan officials "sought to identify Marcantonio's victims, investigate these allegations, or refer them to law enforcement."
Instead, Marcantonio was moved to Iowa, with McVinney's approval, to participate in "psychotherapy" with a fellow priest.
Diocese of Providence pushed to keep Marcantonio in Iowa
While in Iowa, Marcantonio enrolled at Iowa State University and lived on campus in student housing "with young men," the report states.
Writing to the Archbishop of Dubuque (who oversees the Catholic Church in the northeastern part of Iowa) a year later, McVinney stated in a letter that Marcantonio's case had been so serious in Rhode Island that, "I hesitate to have Father Marcantonio return to do priestly work in this Diocese."
"We must by all means avoid scandal," McVinney wrote, the report states.
In a separate letter to Marcantonio's priest-therapist, McVinney wrote that, "We want this man to live a good priestly life in the best and most favorable surroundings."
Marcantonio remained in Iowa for several more years, living and studying at Iowa State University and serving at a parish in Ames, where the university is located.
Bishop Louis Gelineau, who succeeded Bishop McVinney in 1972, "knew why Marcantonio was in Iowa," according to the attorney general's report.
"But rather than take steps to investigate Marcantonio's abuse, remove him from the priesthood, or notify law enforcement of the allegations against him, Bishop Gelineau gave Marcantonio permission to remain in Iowa to obtain his doctorate in psychology," the report states.
Marcantonio quietly returned to Rhode Island
In 1975, Marcantonio was "quietly invited" back to the Diocese of Providence by Gelineau as a part-time assistant at St. John Vianney Church in Cumberland, the report states.
Marcantonio would be accused of sexually abusing three boys during his time in Iowa and several more after his return to Rhode Island.
Marcantonio died in 1999, and the report states that there was no indication in the diocesan records that they'd referred any of the accusations to law enforcement while he was alive.
According to the report, these five priests abused the most children:
Michael LaMountain allegedly abused 12 children
William O'Connell allegedly abused 23 children
Brendan Smyth allegedly abused 17 children
Robert Marcantonio allegedly abused 17 children
Edmond Micarelli allegedly abused 16 children