Second Victim Accuses Church Deacon Of Sexual Abuse

NBC4.com

January 16, 2008


SILVER SPRING, Maryland. -- A Catholic church deacon who was charged last month with sexual offenses against a close female relative has been accused of abusing a second victim.

Dan Paul Stallings, 71, of the 10000 block of Woodland Drive in Silver Spring, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with child sexual abuse.

He was charged in December with 10 counts of incest after police said he had an unlawful sexual relationship with a juvenile female family member in the 1960s and 1970s.

Police said the latest charge was filed when a woman said Stallings had sexual contact with her after they left an event together at St. John the Evangelist Church in 1998 when the victim was 15 or 16 years old.

Stallings had served since 1986 as a deacon at the church, located at 10103 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring. He was barred from the ministry after charges were filed in December.

Stallings was active in the parish's Catholic Youth Organization and served in various other positions working with children over the years.

Police said there is still reason to be concerned that he may have had inappropriate contact with other children.

The Archdiocese of Washington said in a statement on Wednesday that a letter regarding the allegation is being distributed to parishioners and shared with the diocese's 140 churches.

"The archdiocese has offered pastoral assistance to the person who came forward and is working closely with the parish on addressing the pastoral needs of the community," the statement said.

The archdiocese said clergy, employees or volunteers who have substantial contact with children must be fingerprinted and undergo background checks.

Permanent deacons are ordained clergy who assist with preaching, parish service and other functions. They may be married or single. Stallings was married at the time of his ordination, but was widowed last year, the archdiocese said.

Stallings is described as a white man, 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. He wears eyeglasses and is currently bald, but had dark hair in his younger years.

Stallings has been released on $20,000 property bond.

Police have asked anyone who has reason to be concerned about inappropriate contact with Stalling to contact them at 240-773-5426.


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