Former New Orleans priest arrested on rape, kidnapping charges

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A former New Orleans priest has been arrested in connection with the alleged serial rape, beginning in 2004, of a child with disabilities.

Mark Ford, 65, was booked into the Orleans Justice Center this week on counts of first-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping, sexual battery and indecent behavior with juveniles.

New Orleans police say Ford was arrested after a woman told police last November her adult son had been sexually assaulted by Ford during his childhood. A detective spoke with the victim’s mother who said Ford had been a minister affiliated with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which the family attended at the time.

Detectives then sent the victim, who is permanently recognized as a juvenile due to his physical and intellectual disabilities, to a forensic interview, in which he told last fall he had been abused by “Father Mark,” who was a minister at St. Joseph’s during his childhood.

Police wrote in court records that the abuse began when he was about 10 years-old during “a period of grief following the loss of his grandmother and later his father.”

He explained that that he became a member of a group named “God’s Special Children,” which consisted of disabled youth who attended the church.

He said at first, Ford presented himself as a mentor and family friend through the organization and that Ford would visit his home for computer games and guitar lessons.

During those visits, the victim said Ford soon exposed him to pornography and told him to keep the exposure from his mother, according to an affidavit for Ford’s arrest filed in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. The victim said it made him uncomfortable and that he told him to stop.

From there, the alleged abuse escalated, the victim told authorities. He said it Ford would give him prolonged hugs and once asked him if they could “make out,” police wrote in court records. Ford then allegedly pulled down the victim’s pants and groped him before the abuse allegedly escalated to digital penetration, when Ford would ask the victim to remain silent, according to the court records.

At a later interview, the victim also revealed that Ford would frequently pull down his pants to expose his genitals. Ford would then allegedly tell the victim not to tell his mother, saying she wouldn’t believe him and would be disappointed. The victim told police this once happened inside his home kitchen on Christmas Day.

He further described two separate times the priest allegedly orally raped him. A third time, the victim described being in his home restroom as the abuse occurred.

“The victim stated he felt trapped and unable to escape,” police wrote in court documents.

Ford was given no bond at a hearing on Friday.

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