Sadly, it comes as no surprise that Father William Thomas Faucher now faces an allegation of sexual abuse. Prosecutors have noted that Faucher’s online activity included “desires to rape and kill children,” as well as collecting hundreds of images of child pornography.
While the Diocese of Boise claimed in its initial press release that there had been no sexual abuse allegations of Faucher, it seemed reasonable that a man who would publicly proclaim his desire to rape and kill children probably abused them in the past.
As a sexual abuse attorney, it’s been my experience that perpetrators don’t act in an isolated fashion. When there is one victim, there are most likely going to be ten others. This is especially true when the perp publicly makes known his sick desire to hurt children.
In the Faucher case, we are dealing with a dangerous individual whom law enforcement officials caught up to and arrested. Within Idaho, Faucher served in Pocatello, American Falls, Emmett and McCall. He has had pastoral assignments in Oregon and Maryland, and outside of the U.S. has served in Scotland and England, according to a short resume formerly posted on the Saint Mary’s Catholic Church website.
Faucher grew up in Boise and attended Saint Mary’s as a child. He was ordained in Boise on June 4, 1971, and returned in 2002 to serve at Saint Mary’s. He joined Saint Mary’s just one month after revelations that a deacon there had viewed child porn.
Most likely, other victims of Faucher will come forward as his criminal trial moves forward. While I am pleased Faucher will face criminal consequences, civil issues regarding the damage he has wrought are another matter.