Profile Facts
- Name
- Wilfred Pelletier
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1938
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 12/20/1973
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
For many survivors, the hardest part is picking up the phone. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC make that first call easy, offering Michigan survivors a confidential space to share what happened and learn their options.
Father Wilfred Pelletier was ordained in 1938 and served in the Diocese of Marquette. The Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 report documented an allegation that he sexually abused two teenage boys in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The summary below draws on the public record, followed by an explanation of Michigan legal remedies.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is served by the Diocese of Marquette, one of seven dioceses statewide. The full set includes the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Dioceses of Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Gaylord. In 2018, the Michigan Attorney General’s office launched a statewide investigation into clergy sexual abuse, issuing its Marquette report in October 2022.
A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help survivors use the Attorney General’s documented findings to build a civil case, even when the abuse dates back more than sixty years.
The Allegations Against Father Wilfred Pelletier
Fishing Trips and Alcohol
According to published records, the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 report describes a man who reported to the diocese in 2005 that he and a friend were sexually abused over two years, at ages 16 or 17, by Pelletier in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Alpha, Michigan. He said the priest took them fishing and hunting and gave them alcohol and money. Police once caught the boys in a cabin drinking beer with two girls; when questioned, they told police Pelletier had supplied the beer but denied the priest had done anything else to them. Pelletier was soon removed from his parish.
A Troubled Personnel File
Pelletier’s personnel file showed “moral concerns” and “unpriestly conduct” as early as 1950, plus concerns in 1956 about drinking and association with minors. He went on leave in 1960 and again in 1965, and was sent to Jemez Springs, New Mexico in 1961, where a treatment center for troubled priests operated. There was a warrant for his arrest there in 1962 for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. By 1971 he was assigned to Bishop Noa Home and as pastor of a Chasselle parish. He died in 1973, so criminal prosecution is no longer possible, but civil claims against his estate or the diocese may still be available.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal and civil proceedings differ in purpose and in who controls them. Prosecutors control criminal cases, which can result in imprisonment for the offender. Survivors control civil lawsuits, which seek money damages for the harm they suffered. A survivor’s civil claim does not depend on a criminal case being filed.
Church institutions can also be held to account in civil court. When diocesan leaders knew or should have known about a priest’s misconduct and failed to stop it, covered it up, or neglected proper screening and training, Michigan law may impose liability on the institution.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under MCL §600.5805, Michigan survivors generally have ten years, or until they turn 28, whichever is later, to file a civil sexual abuse lawsuit. First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries no statute of limitations. The extended civil window was created because trauma and suppressed memories so often prevent survivors from reporting until much later in life.
Because exceptions can change the applicable deadline, survivors should consult an attorney promptly to protect their rights.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Civil compensation can help survivors afford the care they need, covering medical and therapy costs, while also acknowledging pain and suffering and emotional distress. Just as important, a lawsuit can expose the institutional failures that allowed abuse to continue unchecked. White Law PLLC is prepared to lead that effort for you.
To discuss your situation in confidence, call (517) 316-1195 or stop by. Michigan survivors deserve to be heard, and we are listening.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.