Former Louisiana Priest Arrested for Abuse Allegations from 2004

A Catholic priest who left the priesthood to serve in government roles under two Louisiana governors has been detained on serious charges related to sexual abuse of a minor from two decades ago.

Mark Francis Ford, 64, was arrested in Indiana following allegations that he assaulted a young man in New Orleans. The victim, now 31, claims that Ford began abusing him in 2004 at age 10, after meeting him through a program Ford ran for children with disabilities. The abuse reportedly continued until around 2022 or 2023, despite Ford having left his clerical position for a career in public service.

The accuser, who has a degenerative spinal condition and is on the autism spectrum, is under his mother’s lifelong guardianship. His lawyer, Kristi Schubert, stated that her client disclosed the abuse recently, after undergoing multiple forensic interviews, which led to the issuance of an arrest warrant. Due to Ford’s relocation out of state, authorities are working across jurisdictions to extradite him back to Louisiana.

Ford served as a Catholic priest for 16 years, working with indigenous communities in Arizona and later in two New Orleans churches. After leaving the clergy, he parlayed his experience into public roles, starting in 2006 as an assistant director of disability affairs for Louisiana’s state government under Governor Kathleen Blanco, assisting disabled residents post-Hurricane Katrina. He later directed the state’s Office of Indian Affairs, supporting indigenous tribes during recovery from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Most recently, Ford was employed as the director of community engagement for Native and tribal communities at Feeding America. A spokesperson from the organization was contacted for comment.

Legal Charges and Background

Ford faces multiple charges, including first-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping, sexual battery, and indecent behavior with a juvenile. A conviction on the rape charge alone could result in life imprisonment. The allegations are part of a larger history of clergy abuse scandals in the New Orleans archdiocese, which has been under scrutiny for years. The church filed for bankruptcy in 2020 to limit its financial liability amid numerous abuse claims, subsequently settling with survivors for $230 million—a settlement still awaiting approval.