Alerts Sign-up
Father Carlos Martins, a recognized exorcist and co-host of "The Exorcist Files" podcast, entered a plea of not guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge in an Illinois court on January 27. The charge stems from an alleged incident during a national relic tour involving students.
The Will County state’s attorney’s office filed the charge on January 23 following an investigation by Joliet police. The incident reportedly occurred in November when Father Martins was visiting a local parish with a relic of St. Jude. According to the criminal charge, Father Martins is accused of making "physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature" with I.K., a minor, by placing her hair in his mouth.
The charge is classified as a class A misdemeanor in Illinois, carrying potential penalties of up to one year in prison and a $100 fine.
Father Martins' attorney, Marcella Burke, issued a statement describing the charges as "egregious and unfounded." The Houston-based Burke Law Group stated that evidence would demonstrate Father Martins did not engage in any battery. They characterized the accusations as false and part of an effort to undermine the priest and the Church.
As the investigation began on November 25, Father Martins was temporarily relieved from his pastoral duties. The relics tour under the "Treasures of the Church" ministry ended at that time.
Sgt. Dwayne English from Joliet Police Department confirmed that Father Martins was processed and released on January 28. According to Sgt. English's statement, it is suspected that Father Martins approached a 13-year-old girl standing in line for viewing the relic and made inappropriate comments about her hair before allegedly making physical contact.
Burke Law emphasized that Father Martins is entitled to due process and maintains his innocence. They also noted that his withdrawal from ministry should not be seen as an admission of guilt but rather standard practice for Catholic clergy facing allegations.
On November 21, priests at Queen of the Apostles parish reported an incident involving students during Father Martins' visit. Following diocesan policies, they immediately informed Bishop Ronald Hicks and canceled further events.
A letter from Burke Law described their version of events during this visit, noting that around 200 students were present when Father Martins made light-hearted comments about hair similarities between himself and one student. This interaction led to laughter among those present but later resulted in police involvement after one student's father became upset upon hearing about it.
The Companions of the Cross order posted a statement affirming Father Martins' right to due process while acknowledging misconduct allegations require serious attention. They expressed prayers for all affected by this situation.
Father Martins is not required to attend the pretrial hearing scheduled for February 24 according to court records.
Simone Orendain reports for OSV News from Chicago.
