From 2003 until 2010, Father Antonio Velez served as a priest at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Columbia. Church officials say nearly three weeks ago the 60-year-old admitted he had sexual activity with a teenage girl for years while working at the parish.
"I think it's sick and perverted," said parishioner Sheila Alvelo.
She remembers Father Antonio from his years at the church. Alvelo says he was loved in the local Hispanic community, but she worries the priest may have preyed on other children.
"I'm concerned that there may be other victims, and I want people to step forward and talk," she said.
Church leaders said only one case has been reported thus far.
ABC2 was told the woman alerted the Archdiocese in mid-January. She met Velez at the Church of the Resurrectionin Laurel, one of the many parishes where he ministered to the Spanish speaking community.
Officials went to Howard County Police, and then confronted Velez in Louisiana where he's been a priest for the last six years.
"He admitted it,” said executive director of communications for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Sean Caine. “And at that point it was just a matter of letting him know he's no longer welcome here."
Velez is now barred from ministry anywhere in the Catholic Church.
The Pastor at St. John's says they're trying to spread the word in case there are other victims.
"I feel like they need to reach out to people that maybe aren't members of the church,” Alvelo said. “Because a lot of the Hispanic community are maybe not official members of the church, but they do attend mass, Spanish mass."
The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, says silence only hurts. The group hopes anyone hurt by Velez will expose the truth so they can start healing.
"I think to help protect children and other victims you gotta come forward,” said Frank Dingle, Baltimore Area SNAP Director.
Howard County Police say no criminal charges against Velez have been filed.
