Former VA Priest Faces Sexual Assault Indictment In Fairfax Court

ARLINGTON, VA — A retired Catholic priest who led the Arlington Diocese Office of Child Protection and Safety has been indicted by a grand jury in Fairfax County on sexual assault charges.

Terry Specht, 69, a retired priest who now lives in Donegal, Pennsylvania, is accused of sexually abusing a minor under age 13 in 2000, according to the indictment. Specht is charged with aggravated sexual battery of a child under the age of 13 and sexual abuse of a child over whom a custodial or supervisory relationship existed. The charges were pursued by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and returned by a Fairfax County grand jury.

The accuser came forward in 2019 as part of an ongoing investigation into criminal sexual abuse of children in Virginia’s Catholic dioceses. Arlington Diocese spokesperson Amber Roseboom said in an email to Patch, "the diocese reported the 2019 allegation to law enforcement and was never notified as to the status of the investigation."

Herring and Virginia State Police's investigation has resulted in three defendants being charged, including Specht.

"I want to encourage any Virginian who may have information about this or any other instance of clergy abuse to please come forward," Herring said. "No matter how long ago the incident occurred, we will take it seriously and make sure that you get the help and support you deserve."

A statement from the Arlington Diocese pointed to its commitment to reporting abuse claims.

"The Diocese of Arlington has a zero-tolerance policy for abuse and continues to be fully committed to training our clergy, staff and volunteers to identify and report suspected instances of abuse," the statement reads. "No one with a credible accusation of abuse of minors is serving in the Diocese."

Related: VA, DC Catholic Clergy Accused Of Sexual Abuse: Full List

Specht was the director of the Office of Child Protection and Safety for the Arlington Diocese from 2004 to 2011 and a priest in the Arlington Diocese from 1996 to 2012. In 2012, he was accused of sexual abuse during the late 1990s, as reported by the Washington Post. At the time of the alleged sexual abuse, he was a parochial vicar at St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax. When he was accused in 2012, he was pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Annandale. He has not been in the ministry since 2012.

The Arlington Diocese's published list of Priests Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor includes a footnote about the 2012 accusation against Specht. The diocese noted the allegations were brought to the diocese and immediately reported to law enforcement. Specht was put on administrative leave, but the Arlington Diocesan Review Board found the credibility of accusations to be inconclusive, and police have not charged him.

After being placed on leave, the diocese said he was granted medical retirement due to an illness. He is now retired and "does not have faculties for priestly ministry, and will not return to priestly ministry," the diocese said.

Roseboom said in cooperation with Herring's investigation, "the Diocese provided information and files related to Father Specht, including all information available to us about the allegations received by the Diocese in 2012 and 2019."

As director of the Office of Child Protection, Specht did not oversee investigations of sexual abuse allegations of minors or did not give priestly assignments. According to the diocese, he underwent a criminal background check and recurring background checks every five years, as well as completed VIRTUS safe-environment training as an Arlington Diocese priest. After the 2012 allegation, the diocese ordered a third-party investigation into the Office of Child Protections’ policies, staff and procedures, which found no issues.

A trial is set for October 2022 for the new charges.

Anyone with information about the incident or other cases of abuse can contact the Virginia Clergy Abuse Hotline at 1-833-454-9064 or at www.VirginiaClergyHotline.com, 24/7.

The diocese encourages anyone with information about Specht to call the Fairfax County Police Department at 703-691-2131. Misconduct or abuse reports of any cleric, employee or volunteer of the Arlington Diocese can contact authorities and the diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator at 703-841-2530.