A Catholic priest at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Nampa, who was arrested on a charge of sexual battery of a minor, was arraigned in Canyon County Court on Thursday.
Robert Mendez Esquivel was arrested and booked into the Canyon County Jail on Wednesday night. A judge read the charges against Mendez during his virtual arraignment on Thursday afternoon. He is now charged with rape and two counts of sexual battery of a minor child, 16 or 17 years of age.
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A prosecutor told the court Esquivel met the alleged victim on the dating app Grindr before meeting up at a park. There, the prosecutor said Mendez sexually assaulted and raped the alleged victim.
The judge in the case set Esquivel’s bail at $300,000 and issued a no-contact order.
The Diocese of Boise’s website shows Esquivel is involved with ministries called “Courage and Encourage,” which are described as supporting people with same-sex attraction who want to live according to Catholic teaching on sexuality and homosexuality.
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