Settlements and Verdicts

Ex Church Leader

Veneta, OR: (Apr-14-08) A lawsuit was brought against local businessman and church leader James Richard “Burt” Simmerman, by a teenager who claimed that she was sexually abused by the former parishioner and leader at St. Thomas Becket Roman Catholic Church in Veneta. Court documents reveal that Simmerman was sentenced in June 2007, to three years and eight months in prison for sexually abusing two 16-year-old girls who attended the church’s adjacent school. Officials state that he pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse and 10 counts of third-degree sexual abuse. The suit brought by one of the victims, claimed assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It sought $3 million in damages from Simmerman.

Sources close to the case stated that the two sides reached an out of court settlement, in which the church leader resolved the allegations with an undisclosed payout. The settlement was reached prior to the suit going to trial. Records show that St. Thomas Becket is a traditionalist parish not recognized by the Archdiocese of Portland as a bona fide Catholic church. [REGISTER-GUARD: SETTLEMENT REACHED BETWEEN FORMER CHURCH LEADER, VICTIM]

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