St. Mary’s Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by a clergy member at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, you have legal rights and options for seeking accountability. A new revival window that runs from July 2026 through June 2028 allows survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Rhode Island to file lawsuits, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.
- St. Mary’s Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, has had numerous priests accused of sexually abusing minors at the facility.
- Across Rhode Island, survivors of clergy abuse are now filing lawsuits en masse, seeking to hold the Diocese of Providence accountable for enabling abuse.
- Survivors of sexual abuse by clergy at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston have legal rights and options for seeking accountability, even if the perpetrator is now deceased.
Overview of Allegations Against St. Mary’s Church & Clergy Members
Numerous clergy members who served at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. However, St. Mary’s is not the only Roman Catholic parish with clergy members facing abuse allegations. The epidemic of sexual abuse of children by clergy in Rhode Island is widespread and has reportedly spanned generations.
In March 2026, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha released a lengthy report detailing decades of clergy abuse and coverups. The report named 72 deacons and priests credibly accused of abuse as far back as the 1950s. The report spurred state lawmakers to enact legislation opening a revival window for previously time-barred child sex abuse claims.
Now, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is facing dozens of lawsuits alleging decades of clergy sexual abuse at parishes across the state dating back to the 1950s. Lawsuits assert that the diocese knew or should have known about the sex crimes its staff committed, but failed to act to protect children, and even engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the abuse.
Clergy Members Accused of Abuse at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston
Listed below are the clergy members who are credibly accused of committing abuse at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston. Other Catholic clergy members may have also committed abuse at the church. Even if you do not see the name of the abuser who harmed you listed, you may still have a claim.
Additionally, St. Mary’s was not the only parish where these priests served. Thus, they may have abused victims elsewhere.
Meet Our Trusted Legal Partners
For over 50 years, Milberg has held powerful defendants accountable — let us fight for you.
Father Biagio Samuel Turillo
Father Biagio Samuel Turillo served at St. Mary’s Church from 1953 to 1954. In 1952, a boy told the diocese that Turillo had inappropriately touched and kissed him at West Warwick Junior High School. Turillo was then moved to Sacred Heart in Natick, where more complaints of sexual abuse followed. He was then sent to St. Mary’s in Cranston and faced allegations of sexual misconduct with an adult male. He was moved several other times by the Diocese before retiring in 1994. In 2016, the Vatican sentenced Turillo to a “life of prayer and penance.” He died in 2023.
Father Roland Lepire
Father Roland Lepire served at St. Mary’s Church in 1979. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, Lepire allegedly abused at least six boys between 1975 and 1980 at parishes across the state. He was put on leave by the church in 1996 after a victim from St. Mary’s filed a lawsuit, and at least one other lawsuit has been filed against the diocese for abuse by Lepire since. Lepire died in 2025.
Father Daniel Azzarone
Father Daniel Azzarone served at St. Mary’s Church from 1990 to 2001. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2005 for sexually assaulting two teenage altar boys at the church. The church placed him on administrative leave after his original arrest in 2001.
Father Robert Marcantonio
Father Robert Marcantonio served at St. Mary’s Church from 1967 to 1968 and from 1969 to 1970. Marcantonio received documented allegations of child sexual misconduct for the alleged abuse of 10-15 different boys before leaving the state for “treatment” and further education. The diocese then rehired him.
Beginning in 1989, Marcantonio and the diocese were sued numerous times by victims alleging that he sexually abused them at all points of his career. The Diocese paid $2.7 million to settle those claims. They never referred allegations against him to law enforcement while he was alive. Marcantonio died in 1999.
Father Barry Meehan
Father Barry Meehan served at St. Mary’s Church from 1980 to 1991. Meehan was charged with five counts of criminal sexual assault over the abuse of two young men during the late 1980s and early 1990s at parishes in Providence and Cranston. He died in 2016 while awaiting trial, and prosecutors withdrew the charges.
Father Alfred Santagata
Father Alfred Santagata served at St. Mary’s Church from 1954 to 1964. He reportedly sexually abused two children in the 1960s at St. Mary’s. He died in 1967.
Do I Have A Case?
If you experienced sexual abuse by a Rhode Island Catholic Church clergy member, you may be able to hold the Diocese of Providence accountable. This includes clergy members who served at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston.
Common types of clergy sexual abuse include:
- Sexual assault and abuse, including rape, sodomy, fondling, and forced kissing
- Sexual exploitation
- Sexual harassment
- Exposure
- Taking and distributing sexual pictures or videos
- Exchanging sex for privileges or demanding sex to maintain them
Speak with a Rhode Island Sex Abuse Attorney Today
If clergy sexually abused you or have since discovered how past abuse has affected you, act quickly to protect your rights and preserve your legal options. At Helping Survivors, we provide guidance and support to survivors and connect them with our legal partners, who pursue litigation to hold institutions accountable for enabling sexual abuse.
Legal Rights & Options for Survivors of Rhode Island Clergy Abuse
Report Abuse to the Diocese of Providence
You can report abuse by a clergy member to the Diocese of Providence’s Office of Compliance, or to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families. You can also call the DCYF’s child abuse hotline at 1-800-RI-CHILD.
Report Abuse to Local Law Enforcement
Reporting sexual abuse to law enforcement can spur a criminal investigation that may lead to charges against the perpetrator. Reports also establish a valuable paper trail that can be helpful when filing a civil lawsuit. Victims of Rhode Island clergy abuse can contact the Rhode Island State Police at 401-764-0142 to report abuse.
File a Civil Lawsuit
Survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members in Rhode Island have the right to file civil lawsuits against the abuser and the institutions that failed to protect them.
Under Rhode Island law, survivors can sue institutions like the church and the diocese for enabling abuse through poor hiring practices, ignoring prior reports of incidents, failing to report abuse to the authorities, and concealing the abuse.
A lawsuit allows survivors to recover financial compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial harm they have endured due to the abuse. Currently, a two-year revival window is open for all child sex abuse lawsuits in Rhode Island, so survivors can file lawsuits for abuse that occurred at any time. The window runs from July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2028.
Experience That Delivers Results
Over $50 Billion Recovered
Milberg has recovered more than $50 billion clients over nearly 60 years, holding institutions accountable across complex, high-stakes cases. That track record of institutional accountability now extends to survivors of sexual abuse in detention centers, prisons, healthcare settings, and other facilities.
Institutional Abuse Specialists
Milberg’s Sexual Abuse Practice Group, led by Senior Partner Marc Grossman (30+ years experience, Lawdragon 500 recognized) brings expertise in facility-based abuse, systemic failures, and corporate neglect.
Trial-Ready Attorneys
Milberg’s attorneys aren’t afraid to take cases to trial. While many firms settle early, Milberg’s team of experienced trial lawyers is prepared to pursue your claim all the way through litigation if a fair settlement isn’t reached.
Comprehensive Resource Access
Milberg maintains coast-to-coast offices, partnerships with access to expert investigators, medical professionals, and specialized consultants—all committed to building the strongest possible case for you.
Contingency Representation
You never pay out of pocket. We work entirely on a contingency basis, meaning you owe nothing unless we recover compensation. Your financial burden never stands between you and justice.