Fostoria Man Wants Answers From Toledo Diocese About Alleged Sexual Abuse

11/19/18 – 5:31 A.M.

A Fostoria man is questioning why the Diocese of Toledo has dismissed his sexual abuse allegations against a former St. Wendelin priest. The Toledo Blade reported Sunday that 51-year-old Riley Kinn made the report to the diocese last year. He claims that Reverend Joseph Schmelzer gave him beer when he was in the 8th grade. Kinn tells the Blade his memory goes blank from there but that he woke up in the priest’s bedroom with injuries and other evidence of sexual assault.

Kinn tells the newspaper he believes Schmelzer drugged him in addition to the beer he gave him.

The Blade reports the diocese found Kinn’s claims were not substantiated in December of 2017. The diocese reassigned Schmelzer to the St. Clement Parish in Toledo before Kinn’s senior year. They permanently removed him from public ministry in 2007 following two other previous credible accusations.

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