Detroit priest arrested for committing disgusting act against girl in full view of tour
A Detroit priest overseeing a tour of religious relics was arrested for putting a girl's hair in his mouth and pretending to floss with it in front of her fellow students, authorities said.
Father Carlos Martins, 50, who is known for his exorcism work and for hosting The Exorcist Files podcast, was charged with misdemeanor battery for the November 21, 2024 incident at a church in Joliet, Illinois.
At the time, a teenage girl was in line to view a relic of St. Jude the Apostle, part of a traveling exhibit led by Martins.
Police said that Martins approached the girl, commented on her hair, and then grabbed it before making a 'flossing' motion with it in his mouth.
The girl also told police that Martins later sat behind her and made a growling noise.
Following an investigation, the Will County State's Attorney's Office approved the battery charge against Martins. He was arrested on Monday.
Martins' lawyer, Marcella Burke, called the charge, which carries a $100 fine, 'egregious and unfounded.'
'The evidence will show that Father Carlos did not "floss" with a student's hair or "growl" among other completely false and repulsive accusations,' Burke said in a statement to Stella Maris Media.
Father Carlos Martins, 50, who is known for his exorcism work and for hosting The Exorcist Files podcast, was charged with misdemeanor battery for the November 21, 2024 incident at a church in Joliet, Illinois
The alleged incident occurred while the girl was in line to view a relic of St. Jude the Apostle, part of a traveling exhibit led by Martins
The lawyer described the accusations as 'a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church,' expressing confidence in his exoneration.
Burke previously stated that Martins' interaction with the girl was brief and took place in a classroom setting with numerous witnesses, according to a Nov. 25 letter from Martins' attorney obtained by OSV.
The exchange occurred during a presentation as he joked with approximately 200 students gathered to venerate the relic.
'As he always does, Father Martins began his interaction with the attendees in "chit-chat" dialogue. He is bald and apt to joke about it as a conversation starter,' Burke said in the letter .
'During his conversation with the older students, he made a comment to a student about her long hair, remarking, "You and I have almost the same hairstyle," a comment met with giggles.
'He then remarked that he also once had long hair like hers, and he joked he would "floss my teeth with it." Again, his comment was meant for a teenage audience and was met with laughter.
'He then asked the student, "Have you ever flossed with your hair?" Laughing, she shook her head, no. He then said, "Well, you have the perfect length for it," as he lifted up a lock from her shoulders to show her its length. She giggled along with the others.'
When the girl shared the story with her family at home, her father 'became upset by what he heard and called the police,' Burke noted in her November statement.
Police said that Martins approached the girl, commented on her hair, and then grabbed it before making a 'flossing' motion with it in his mouth
Originally from Ontario, Canada, and a former atheist who converted to Catholicism, Father Martins co-hosts The Exorcist Files podcast with Ryan Bethea, featuring firsthand accounts from his experiences as an exorcist
The event at the parish was subsequently canceled, and Bishop Ronald Hicks canceled further relic tour stops in the area.
Martins' order, the Companions of the Cross, initially suspended him pending an investigation but later stated that he is entitled to due process.
'The Companions of the Cross look upon allegations of misconduct as an urgent matter that requires serious attention,' its statement reads. 'We pray for all those who are affected by this painful situation.'
Father Martins served as 'the church-appointed custodian of the relic,' overseeing the 'Apostle of the Impossible' tour, which displayed what are believed to be bone fragments from St. Jude's arm in a reliquary at churches and schools across the country.
The tour began in September 2023, but its official website now lists all remaining stops through December 2024 as 'canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.'
Originally from Ontario, Canada, and a former atheist who converted to Catholicism, Father Martins co-hosts The Exorcist Files podcast with Ryan Bethea, featuring firsthand accounts from his experiences as an exorcist.
