Tennis Pro Says Priest Abused Him in New Jersey

David Ohlmuller, a Lake Bluff man who has become known around the North Shore for teaching platform tennis and is a hall of famer in the sport, recently came forward with allegations of sexual abuse against a Roman Catholic priest in New Jersey.

Ohlmuller, 46, says he was abused on several occasions in 1982 in a confessional while he was a student at St. Cassian School in Montclair, N.J. The Rev. Michael “Mitch” Walters, who according to a lawyer faces an additional allegation of abuse from a woman who remains anonymous, gave up his most recent position at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in South Orange, N.J. when the allegations were made.

The lawyer is seeking a settlement from the church for Ohlmuller and the woman, who is now in her 40s and allegedly suffered from similar abuse in the early 1980s. 

According to reports from the Daily North Shore and nj.com, Ohlmuller was fondled and kissed at least 10 times in the confessional at the age of 12. He only escaped the abuse by absenting himself from church and does not attend church today.

“He said not to tell anyone about what was happening, that nobody would believe me,” Ohlmuller said.

Walters denies the allegations and has not been charged.

Ohlmuller says the memories of the abuse resurfaced last year as his son turned 11. He contacted a lawyer and notified Walters’ archdiocese in August. Walters agreed to leave in October.

“I needed to come forward,” Ohlmuller said. “I couldn’t live with this any longer. My aim is to get him out of the priesthood.”