Crime & Safety

Fr. McGrath Press Conference: Reaction From Police Chief

Plaintiff Bob Krankvich was interviewed about Father Richard McGrath at New Lenox's Police Station.

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NEW LENOX, IL - New Lenox Chief of Police Bob Sterba told Patch on Thursday night that his detectives have interviewed Bob Krankvich, the Crest Hill resident who has accused former Providence Catholic High School principal and president Father Richard J. McGrath of sodomizing him and forcing him to perform oral sex while at the high school in 1995 and 1996. The former Providence Catholic student, who grew up as a devout Roman Catholic, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Augustinian Order of St. Augustine. Krankvich becomes the first former Providence student to publicly accuse the long-time Augustinian priest, who is a suspected child pornographer as well, of being a sexual predator who preys upon vulnerable kids.

"I'm pleased that he was able to muster the courage to come forward," Chief Sterba told Patch. The chief explained his agency has conducted "a very lengthy interview (with Krankvich) followed by a very thorough investigation" into allegations of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving McGrath related to the former Providence student's allegations from the mid-1990s.

RELATED: Father McGrath Allegedly Had Naked Boy Photos

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Krankvich told reporters assembled at Thursday's press conference in downtown Chicago that McGrath threatened him to stay silent and to never discuss their intimate sexual encounters. The sexual acts involving Father McGrath occurred inside the principal's office at Providence and inside of the Friary where McGrath resided, according to the plaintiff and his lawyers, Jeff Anderson and Marc Pearlman. They are from the high-profile Chicago law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates.

Find out what's happening in New Lenoxfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

After the press conference, Patch asked Anderson to rank his client's credibility in regard to the allegations against Father McGrath on a scale of one to ten with ten being the highest. Anderson answered a ten.

PRESS CONFERENCE: Father McGrath Sodomized Former Providence Student

Bob Krankvich center, image via Jeff Anderson & Associates

Afterward, Chief Sterba stressed the New Lenox Police sexual abuse investigation is unrelated to his agency's earlier probe into images of suspected child pornography. In December, a female student at Providence was inside the gym attending a high school wrestling meet. On that day, Father McGrath was sitting alone in the bleachers apparently viewing photos of a naked boy, according to police.

The student, who was disturbed by what she saw, relayed her encounter with the president of Providence Catholic to another staffer. The girl said she saw a "boy was standing up with his hands down to his sides, was naked and she believed him to be 13 years of age," New Lenox police reports state.

There are suspicions McGrath may have been using his phone to secretly photograph or record teenage boys inside the school locker room that day at Providence. However, McGrath refused to turn over his phone to Providence and to the police. His lawyer later told detectives that he did not believe the phone will ever surface or turn up. Providence parted ways with McGrath and forced him to resign in shame about a week before Christmas. The school removed all references to McGrath from their school website.

At this stage, the cell phone probe is done and no criminal charges resulted. Chief Sterba does not envision it will be reopened unless the phone surfaces. But "as a result of that telephone, Krankvich felt empowered to come forward," Sterba told New Lenox Patch. In March, the New Lenox Police completed their criminal investigation surrounding the allegations of sexual assault lodged by Krankvich.

The agency submitted its reports to the Will County State's Attorney's Office for determination on whether the filing of criminal charges is warranted, Sterba said. At this point, State's Attorney James Glasgow has not filed charges against McGrath.

"Our determination was that he was credible," Sterba said of Krankvich. However, Sterba emphasized, it's ultimately the call of the State's Attorney's Office "on whether or not they believe it's a prosecutable case."

Sterba believes the State's Attorney staff is still in the process of assessing the police investigation. After news broke of Thursday's civil lawsuit, some people reacted with surprise, questioning why Krankvich waited roughly 22 years to publicly step forward and lodge an allegation of sexual assault against McGrath. Bear in mind, Father McGrath was still in power, still in control of Providence Catholic, all that time.

Based on Sterba's experiences, it's "quite common" for childhood sexual victims "to wait a long time" before coming forward. If there are other former Providence students who maintain they were abused by McGrath, the chief encourages them to contact the New Lenox Police Department.

"Come in or call us," he said. "We're prepared to conduct as many investigations as we have victims."
Father Richard J. McGrath, image via Jeff Anderson & Associates Law Firm
Image of New Lenox Police Chief Bob Sterba provided to Patch with permission to use

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