The religious leader was exposed.
Father Michael Eguino, a Catholic priest and chaplain for the New York Police Department, was arrested last Friday on charges of soliciting prostitution, though he denies the allegations. Eguino, who is the pastor at the Church of St. Anselm & St. Roch and was appointed a chaplain in 2021, was arrested near his parish. Following the arrest, he was given a desk appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear before a judge in the Bronx. Besides his duties as a parish priest, Eguino also served as a spiritual director for the NYPD’s Holy Name Society in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
The priest’s attorney, Oliver Storch, issued a statement claiming that the arrest was linked to a previous encounter with a woman whom Eguino had previously counseled. According to Storch, the woman is not a prostitute, but a troubled individual who made the allegation against the priest. The attorney emphasized that Eguino is innocent of the charges.
In response to the situation, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York acknowledged the allegations and stated that they would cooperate with the investigation. The Archdiocese clarified that Father Eguino maintains his innocence and has voluntarily stepped down from his duties at the parish during the investigation to avoid any disruption to the community.
Members of the parish expressed their shock at the news of the arrest. Some congregants, who have known Eguino for his kind nature, said they couldn’t believe the allegations and described the priest as a “nice person.” The Archdiocese concluded its statement by calling for prayer and support for all those involved, including the parish family of St. Anselm.