Sex abuse lawsuit filed against Catholic Diocese

A lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of a minor has been filed against the Catholic Diocese of Yakima in Superior Court.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports the lawsuit was filed Tuesday on behalf of a young man who says Rev. Gustavo Gomez Santos abused him at St. Juan Diego Catholic Church in Cowiche in 2012 when the alleged victim was 16 or 17 years old.

The lawsuit claims the Diocese of Yakima knew or should have known that Gomez posed a danger to children but failed to take steps to prevent him from using his position as a Diocesan priest to sexually abuse the plaintiff.

After the man reported the abuse to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office in May, Gomez was permanently removed from public ministry by Bishop Joseph Tyson.

Tyson didn't immediately respond to an email asking for comment.

Gomez has denied the allegations.