Former Loudoun County clergyman charged with sexual assault of a minor

RICHMOND (March 16, 2020) – Attorney General Mark R. Herring today announced charges against former clergyman Scott Asalone, 63, of Asbury Park, NJ, for one felony count of carnal knowledge of a minor between 13 and 15 years old. Asalone was identified through Attorney General Herring and Virginia State Police’s investigation into clergy abuse in Virginia. Asalone was indicted by the Northern Virginia Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury on Thursday, March 12 and the case will be tried in Loudoun County Circuit Court.

“This is the first criminal indictment stemming from our ongoing investigation with Virginia State Police into potential clergy abuse,” said Attorney General Herring. “The investigation remains ongoing and if anyone has information related to this case or any other instance of abuse I would encourage them to please contact us as soon as possible. I know that stepping forward to share your experience can be difficult or scary but I want you to know that, even if it happened years ago, we will still take it seriously and make sure you get the help and support you need.”

The indictment is related to alleged sexual contact by Asalone, while he was a member of the clergy assigned to St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, VA, involving a former parishioner in 1985. Asalone was taken into custody on Saturday, March 14 by the Virginia State Police and New Jersey law enforcement officials in Asbury Park, NJ and will face extradition to Virginia.

These are the first charges resulting from Attorney General Herring and Virginia State Police’s ongoing investigation into whether criminal sexual abuse of children may have occurred in Virginia’s Catholic dioceses and whether leadership in the dioceses may have covered up or abetted any such crimes.

If you or someone you know has additional information about these or other instances of abuse, please contact the Virginia Clergy Abuse Hotline at 1-833-454-9064 and www.VirginiaClergyHotline.com that are both available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to receive reports of clergy abuse.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. Asalone is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.