Nebraska AG finds 258 victims of Catholic church sex abuse

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska attorney general’s office investigation has identified 258 victims who made credible allegations of sexual abuse against 57 Catholic church officials in the state going back decades.

In many cases, high-ranking church leaders knew about the abuse but didn’t report it to the authorities.

Attorney General Doug Petersons said at a news conference Thursday that prosecutors can’t bring charges against any current or former church officials because the statutes of limitations have expired in the vast majority of cases. He says one case where charges would be possible, the accuser declined to participate in a prosecution.

The report outlines each known case going back to the 1930s. More than 90% of the victims were boys.