Los Angeles priest arrested, charged with sexual misconduct involving minor

CNA Staff, Apr 9, 2025 / 12:12 pm

A priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has been arrested after allegedly engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor.

Father Jaime Arriaga was taken into custody on April 3, according to records at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The archdiocese told parishioners at the parishes of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Louis of France on Sunday that it had received the allegation of misconduct on April 2 and promptly reported it to law enforcement.

Prior to his arrest the priest was “removed from ministry as a result of [the] report of alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor,” the archdiocese said.

The allegations “led to a criminal proceeding,” the archdiocese noted, according to Angelus News.

Arriaga has been charged with “assault with intent to commit a felony and four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a person 14 to 15,” Angelus News reported. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday.

The priest is being held without bail and his next court date is June 5, according to sheriff’s records.

A profile of Arriaga on the archdiocesan website had been taken down as of Wednesday morning. The priest was ordained last year on June 1.

The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday morning.