Attorney General Miyares announces guilty plea in Loudoun clergy sexual assault case

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that Scott Asalone, 65, a former priest at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, Va., was convicted in Loudoun County Circuit Court of felony carnal knowledge of a minor between 13 and 15 years of age. The abuse occurred during the summer of 1985 when Asalone was 29, and the victim was a minor.

Asalone, of Asbury Park, NJ, was indicted by a multi-jurisdiction grand jury in March 2020 following an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General. He was arrested in New Jersey on March 14, 2020, extradited to Virginia, and remained on bond pending trial. Asalone, was removed from public duties in 1993 and dismissed from the Order of Capuchin Friars in 2007.

“Every victim deserves to be heard. My office is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who prey on children to the fullest extent of the law. Virginia has no tolerance for child molesters. I encourage anyone who has been a victim of clergy abuse to contact the Virginia State Police, as it’s never too late to fight for justice,” said Attorney General Miyares.

Asalone will be sentenced by a Loudoun County Circuit Court on April 13, 2023. He faces a total maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison. The conviction follows Asalone’s plea of guilty under the Alford rule in court. This was a joint investigation with Virginia State Police, and the Office of the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section prosecuted this case for the Commonwealth.