Father Ronald Yarrosh
Diocese of Allentown
Ordained: 1974
Arrested: 2004
Laicized: 2007
Assigned as follows:
- 1974-1975: Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions
- 1976: Student in Rome and Hong Kong
- 1977-1981: PIFM Mission Appeal (Detroit, MI)
- 1982: St. Anthony of Padua (Easton, PA)
- 1982-1985: Holy Rosary (Reading, PA)
- 1986-1988: St. Patrick (Pottsville, PA)
- 1988-1991: St. Francis of Assisi (Allentown, PA)
- 1990: Incardinated into the Diocese of Allentown
- 1991-1996: St. Anne (Bethlehem, PA)
- 1996-1998: St. Margaret (Reading, PA)
- 1997: St. Peter (Reading, PA)
- 1998-1999: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Easton, PA)
- 1999-2001: Sacred Heart/Holy Family (New Philadelphia, PA)
- 1999-2001: St. Anthony (Cumbola, PA)
- 2001-2003: St. Bernard (Easton, PA)
- 2003-2004: St. Ambrose (Schuylkill Haven, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Ronald Yarrosh:
Fr. Ronald Yarrosh was ordained a priest in 1974, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Allentown. According to media reports, in 2004, Yarrosh’s residence was searched by Pennsylvania State Police, who seized “a tremendous amount” of child pornography on the church computer. A week later, Yarrosh was removed from ministry by the Diocese of Allentown and sent to Villa St. John Vianney Hospital in Downington, Pennsylvania, for evaluation. Ultimately, Yarrosh was charged not only for the child pornography, but also for embezzling thousands of dollars from the parish.
In our experience, there is often a direct link between theft from a parish and a priest who is abusing children. Quite simply, it is expensive to supply victims and would-be victims with gifts, take them on trips, or purchase cabins and vacation homes where they can be abused.
In 2005, Yarrosh pled guilty to the theft and child pornography charges and was set to begin his term of incarceration after completing treatment at St. John Vianney. Instead, he opted to leave the treatment program and lived in a motel for several months before being incarcerated for approximately 3 1/2 months. Upon his release, he was required to register as a sex offender.
Yarrosh remained a priest and was given permission by the Bishop of Allentown to reside in the St. Francis Villa in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. Internal memos indicate the Diocese of Allentown considered him a high risk to use pornography or solicit prostitutes even after his treatment and prison. The grand jury report does not indicate if this assessment resulted in any special or extraordinary precautions being taken to protect the community from Yarrosh.
Apparently, there were no such precautions because less than a year later, in November, 2006, Yarrosh was discovered taking trips (plural) to New York with a 7 year old boy. He was arrested and police found child pornography in his possession. He was taken into custody and sentenced to four to ten years in custody for violating the terms of his original release.
In 2018, Yarrosh was named publicly as accused in the PA Grand Jury report.
According to the Diocese of Allentown, Yarrosh is still alive. His last known address was in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. He is not a registered sex offender and does not appear in any state or federal inmate database.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Allentown. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Allentown may have legal options against the Diocese of Allentown.
Contact us at (954) 641-2100 or [email protected] today.