Credibly Accused

Search lists of U.S. Catholic clergy that have been deemed credibly accused of sexual abuse or misconduct.

Published Jan. 28, 2020

This database was last updated in January 2020 and should only be used as a historical snapshot of the lists published by dioceses and religious orders. There may be changes to those records that are not reflected here.

If you find an error in the data or would like to suggest changes, contact us.

Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska

James Benton

Status: Placed on leave and subsequently retired in 2017; faculties revoked and public ministry restricted as of 2018

Appeared under the heading: “Diocese of Lincoln priests against whom substantiated allegations of childhood sexual abuse have been reported B.) Living priests (or status unknown) against whom substantiated allegations of childhood sexual abuse have been reported.”

Birth Year: Not reported

Ordination year: 1973

Reported assignment history:

Sacred Heart (Lincoln)
St. Michael (Hastings)
St. Mary (Dawson)
St. Ann (Shubert)
Sacred Heart High School (Falls City)
St. Joseph (Paul)
St. Clara (Peru)
Lourdes High School (Nebraska City)
Diocesan Director of Scouting
Immaculate Conception (Rulo)
St. Mary (Arago)
Sacred Heart High School (Falls City)
Sts. Peter and Paul Elementary School (Falls City)
Diocesan Mission (Barquisimeto, Venezuela)
St. Vincent de Paul (Seward)
St. Gregory the Great Seminary (Seward)
St. John the Apostle (Lincoln)
Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House
St. Mary (Wallace)
Resurrection (Elsie)
St. Joseph (Harvard)
St. John the Baptist (Minden)
Holy Family (Heartwell)

If you find an error in the data or would like to suggest changes, contact us.

Sources: U.S Catholic dioceses and religious orders, ProPublica reporting, Pontifical Yearbook (2019)

Data entry by: Tatyana Bellamy-Walker, Grace Haley, Samantha Maldonado, Spencer Norris, Anna Pouza, Lilia Saul

You can download this complete dataset at the ProPublica Data Store.