Seven men sue former priest, alleging child sex abuse

Las Vegas, New Mexico -- For the countless victims of clergy sex abuse in New Mexico, many feel let down by police, prosecutors and other adults who should have helped them.

The fight isn't over. In a new lawsuit, seven men allege that former Catholic Priest Sabine Griego raped them repeatedly between 1968 and 1984.

"The goal in these seven survivors in focusing on Griego specifically is to draw attention to the fact that he has escaped any kind of prosecution, even though he has been known as a credible abuser for more than 20 years," said Levi Monagle, who is one of the attorneys in the case.

In November 2017, 4 Investigates found Griego living in Las Vegas and discovered he had taught at a local community college where he had access to minors. When asked about the dozens of people who have accused him of raping them as children, he stormed off.

In most, if not all of Griego's alleged sexual abuse cases, the statute of limitations has run out to criminally hold him accountable criminally. These latest efforts are an attempt to hold him accountable in civil court.

"It's important for them because they believe Sabine Griego has essentially escaped justice," Monagle said.

The legal strategy is particularly noteworthy. Past lawsuits have targeted the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. In every case, the archdiocese settled out of court to keep the victims quiet and make them go away with money in their pockets.

Since this lawsuit only names Griego, he likely does not have funds to settle, which may force this case into New Mexico's first civil trial in front of a jury.