This post was updated at 3:13 p.m. to add a statement from the current Bishop of the Harrisburg Diocese, Ronald Gainer.
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo says that after "a full investigation," his office has found no basis to conclude that Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, the former bishop of the Roman Catholic Church's Harrisburg Diocese, ever engaged in "a criminal or otherwise improper relationship" with a now-deceased Dauphin County man identified by investigators as "J.T."
Chardo's office confirmed to PennLive last week that it had received a complaint against Rhoades.
The complaint had come into diocesan offices here from a cousin of the purported victim. The diocese then referred it to the district attorney.
Chardo, in his announcement this morning, stated he believes the original report was the result of an honest, mistaken recollection. But he also complained about its surfacing in the press while the investigation was in midstream.
"This has been a case of a public airing of mere speculation of impropriety with no foundation," Chardo stated.
"In this case, the leaking of what turned out to be an unfounded report did unnecessary harm. This has done a disservice to actual victims of sexual abuse. It has also caused significant and unnecessary harm to Bishop Rhoades.
"We encourage reports of any suspicion of the abuse of a child to law enforcement and ChildLine," Chardo continued. "But once reports are made... they should be fully investigated without public speculation about guilt...
"Here, we found no evidence of wrongdoing. We now regard this case as closed."
The back story:
According to Chardo's release, the original referral alleged that Rhoades travelled to Puerto Rico with J.T. twice and South America once when the man was about 13 or 14 years old.
The cousin had no direct knowledge of any sexual or other unlawful acts, but he did think the conduct he remembered was odd, so he felt compelled to report it to the diocese.
A check of records of Rhoades' service in Harrisburg, interviews with Rhoades and with the purported victim's family subsequently showed that Rhoades' first contact with J.T. occurred in 1990 when J.T. was a 19-year-old inmate in the Dauphin County Prison.
Rhoades had been asked by J.T.'s mother to offer him spiritual guidance, Chardo said, and Rhoades, then serving at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Harrisburg, did so.
That relationship developed to the point where Rhoades appeared at a court proceeding for J.T. in early 1990 and told a judge that, if released, J.T. would be welcome to do his community service work at the parish.
J.T. was paroled on April 6, 1990 according to county prison records.
Later in that year, Rhoades and another friend were planning to take a trip to Puerto Rico.
J.T., according to Chardo's investigators, learned about the trip and asked if he could join the trip so that he could visit his grandmother there, and Rhoades agreed.
It was not clear from Chardo's report who paid J.T.'s way.
In interviews with investigators, both Rhoades and the second man, who now lives in England with his family, stated that there was no sexual or intimate contact between any of them during the trip.
J.T.'s mother confirmed the trip to Puerto Rico occurred when her son was in his twenties. She also told investigators, Chardo said, that she never had any indication of sexual contact between her son and Rhoades.
When J.T. died in October 1996, Rhoades presided at his funeral mass at the request of J.T.'s parents.
Chardo said Rhoades and J.T.'s family fully cooperated in the investigation.
Chardo said he has concluded the trip to Puerto Rico was the only time Rhoades travelled with J.T., and that "all of Rhoades' contact with J.T. was in the context of pastoral care and arose out of the recognized tradition of prison ministry.
"No witness has alleged observing any criminal or improper conduct by Bishop Rhoades with respect to J.T."
Rhoades, a Lebanon native, was bishop in Harrisburg from 2004 to 2009. He currently serves as bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne / South Bend in Indiana.
Diocesan officials there and in Harrisburg released statements Thursday saying they appreciated "the swift and thorough investigation into the unsubstantiated allegation" against Rhoades.
"While it's important that allegations be brought forward... the result of this investigation underscores the importance of allowing appropriate authorities to determine credibility of accusations before the reputation of any individual is impugned in the court of public opinion," the Fort Wayne / South Bend church's statement read.
The Indiana diocese also noted that Rhoades expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from parishioners during the past week.
In Harrisburg, Bishop Ronald Gainer said he too, was pleased that Rhoades was cleared of any wrongdoing.
"With that being said," Gainer added, "our hearts and prayers remain with the survivors of child sexual abuse and we would encourage anyone who has been abused to contact PA Childline or law enforcement."
The toll-free ChildLine number is 800-932-0313.