$1.4 million settlement reached between Joliet Diocese, 3 men who allege priest sexually abused them in '80s
Under the terms of the settlement, the diocese was not required to admit any wrongdoing for allowing the Rev. Leonardo Mateo, who had previously been accused of sexual abuse, to serve as a priest at Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst where much of the alleged abuse took place.
According to a lawsuit, which was transferred to Will County after initially being filed in Cook County, Mateo joined the parish in 1977 and later befriended an 8-year-old boy and his 6-year-old brother, identified in court records as John Doe B and John Doe C, and their parents.
One of the brothers eventually introduced Mateo to the third victim, a 10-year-old boy who was a friend. Mateo would take them out for ice cream, or to go swimming at the local YMCA, and eventually to his bedroom in the rectory, according to the lawsuit.
Between 1980 and 1982, Mateo sexually assaulted all three on various occasions until the mother of the two brothers overheard them talking about what was happening and the family called police, according to the lawsuit.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-joliet-priest-sex-abuse-settlement-20180830-story.html