Fr. Kenneth Lewis
Ordained: 1991
- 1992-1994: St. Mary, Tulsa, OK (TLS)
- 1995: On Duty Outside Diocese (TLS)
- 1996: Holy Family Cathedral, Tulsa, OK (TLS)
- 1997-2001: Sacred Heart Church, Fairfax, OK (TLS)
- 2002: St. John Church, McAlester, OK (TLS)
- 2002: St. Joseph’s Church, Krebs, OK (TLS)
- 2003-2007: Unknown
- 2007: Laicized
- 2008-2019: Unknown
Three years after his ordination in the Diocese of Tulsa, Fr. Kenneth Lewis was sent to a treatment center after he was accused of inappropriate behavior with several boys. Following treatment, Bishop Slattery allowed Fr. Lewis to return to work at a different parish within the Diocese of Tulsa. In 2002, the allegations against Fr. Lewis were made public. He retired shortly thereafter. News reports stated that at least six boys came forward accusing Fr. Lewis of sexual abuse. It was also reported that multiple Church officials had been aware of Fr. Lewis’ inappropriate behavior with boys and that two investigations were conducted, one in 1994 and the other in the summer of 2002, but no action was taken against Fr. Lewis. No criminal charges were brought against Fr. Lewis concerning the six accusations due to the statute of limitations. In 1994, parents of a boy filed a police report, alleging Fr. Lewis had sexually abused their son, then 13 years old, during a trip to Chicago. The case was referred to Evanston, IL police, who decided not to pursue charges; however, a civil case was filed in 2007 and settled in 2011. In 2007, a Chicago detective reopened the case against Fr. Lewis and, nearly a decade and a half after the abuse allegedly occurred, Fr. Lewis was criminally charged in late 2017. Fr. Lewis was not immediately taken into custody because he had been in living in Ecuador. In late March of 2018, U.S. law enforcement officials were alerted when Fr. Lewis bought a plane ticket from Ecuador to Atlanta. Homeland Security apprehended him in Atlanta in May 2018 upon his return from Ecuador. Lewis was taken to Chicago where he was charged with felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. It is believed Lewis is free on bail. His current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.