A priest from Michigan, who is known for leading tours of holy relics and hosting a podcast about exorcisms, has been charged with a crime after reportedly putting a teenage girl’s hair in his mouth and using it to clean his teeth.
Father Carlos Martins, who is a member of the Catholic Church and co-host of the podcast “The Exorcist Files,” was charged with misdemeanor violence in Illinois for an incident that occurred in November.
“The Exorcist Files” podcast, which is complemented by a book with the same title, boasts of Martins’ ability as an expert in exorcism and narrates his own anecdotes.
The episode unraveled during a relic of St. Jude’s visit at the Queen of Apostles parish in Joliet, Illinois, on Nov. 21, 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, Martins “grabbed the hair” of a 13-year-old girl and placed it “in his mouth” in a “flossing motion.”
Joliet Police Department stated that Martins sat behind the teenage girl and “made a growling noise” after the strange encounter.
After the interaction, the religious tour was quickly canceled, and local law enforcement was brought to the location to intervene.
Employees of the Diocese of Joliet confronted the priest and told him that “he must depart from our parish and out of our Diocese.”
The diocese stated in a press release, “The veneration of the relic and the evening mass were canceled as a precaution.”
Court documents from the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court in Will County revealed that Martins was processed by the Joliet Police Department, arraigned, and freed while he waits for his pretrial hearing.
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According to officials from Will County, Martins’ next court session is scheduled for February 24, but he is not obligated to attend that pretrial hearing.
The Companions of the Cross, the religious order that Treasures of the Church is linked with, released a statement saying that Martins consented to step down from his pastoral duties when the church was made aware of the claims.
The church stated, “He is still entitled to due process, just like anyone else who is accused.” The Companions of the Cross consider accusations of wrongdoing to be a serious issue that needs to be dealt with immediately. We pray for everyone who has been impacted by this difficult situation.
According to the church’s website, Martins’ status with the Archdiocese of Detroit is currently marked as “Ministry revoked.”
