Former New Orleans Priest Sentenced to Life for Decades-Old Child Rape
The sentencing of Lawrence Hecker, 93, highlights decades of abuse and cover-ups by the Catholic Church in New Orleans, as survivors call for broader accountability.
- Lawrence Hecker, a retired Catholic priest, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree rape and aggravated kidnapping of a teenage boy in 1975.
- Survivors and advocates criticized the Archdiocese of New Orleans for its role in covering up Hecker's abuse and failing to support victims during the legal proceedings.
- The case has widened into an investigation into allegations that the archdiocese facilitated and concealed widespread child sexual abuse over decades, potentially including a child sex-trafficking ring.
- Hecker's admission of abuse in 1999 was concealed by the church until 2018, years after he retired, and only came to light through investigative reporting in 2023.
- Survivors expressed lifelong trauma from the abuse, with many calling for charges against church officials who enabled or failed to report Hecker's crimes.
The Guardian 
Associated Press 