John Taggart, 80, a former priest, was arrested March 18 for allegedly sexually abusing a child while he was working at St. Thomas the Apostle in Wilmington. Taggart was charged along with Christopher Crisona, 57, an elementary school teacher at the church, under similar allegations.
“The state’s indictment alleges a pattern of gravely serious abuse against a juvenile by two adults in a position of trust,” Kathy Jennings, Delaware Attorney General, said. “As prosecutors, and as parents, these kinds of cases keep us up at night, but they also give us purpose. The victim in this case suffered profound trauma over a period of years and deserves justice. I’m grateful to the police, prosecutors and social workers who have been critical to this investigation and who are committed to getting justice.”
An investigation into Taggart and Father John Francis O’Brien, who is now deceased, revealed that Taggart allegedly repeatedly abused a victim when the child was in seventh and eighth grade at St. Thomas. The abuse allegedly continued when the child began high school.
Taggart was employed at the church from 1987 through 1998 before being transferred to St. John the Apostle in Milford in 1999. Taggart also worked at St. Helena’s in Wilmington but now resides in Georgia after retiring in 2004.
Crisona worked at St. Thomas in 1994 and 1995 but was removed from the school after a child’s complaint. He then transferred to St. Matthew’s in Wilmington, then Corpus Christi in 1999 and St. Hedwig in 2000. He is currently working as an elementary school teacher in Florida.
Taggart was arrested March 14 and Crisona on March 3. The Diocese of Wilmington is cooperating with authorities in the investigation. The Delaware Department of Justice is seeking other victims and ask that anyone who may have information about alleged abuse at any of the schools where the two men worked should contact the attorney general at 302-577-5293 or report the abuse online.
