Catholic Priest Faces Additional Abuse Charges Tied to Fourth Survivor

Theodore Gabrielli, a Catholic Priest already facing charges related to the molestation of three minors more than 30 years ago, is now facing six additional charges connected to a newly identified survivor.

An amended complaint was filed Tuesday, bringing the total number of charges against Gabrielli to 32. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the priest pleaded not guilty to all counts in court.

The initial complaint, filed in June 2025, accused Gabrielli of 26 counts of sexual assault involving three victims who were juveniles at the time of the alleged abuses. The six newly filed charges involve a minor under the age of 14 and reportedly occurred over the course of several years.

Gabrielli, 61, of San Diego, previously served as a Catholic priest at various churches, schools, and ministries in San Jose, Los Gatos, and Los Angeles. Authorities say the allegations stem from incidents that took place at his parent’s Los Osos home in the 1990s after Gabrielli developed a close relationship with a family living in Mexico. Investigators revealed that Gabrielli frequently traveled with the family’s three boys to California, where the alleged sexual assaults took place over eight years.

The investigation into Gabrielli began on August 28, 2024, when the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office received a report of child abuse dating back three decades. Detectives with the Special Victims Unit identified the three male survivors, who came forward last year to disclose the abuse. Gabrielli was later arrested in Los Osos on June 12, 2025, and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a minor.

Now, with a fourth survivor stepping forward, Gabrielli’s case continues to grow more serious. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 31, 2025, for a Pre-Preliminary Hearing before Judge Michael Frye.

Authorities have urged anyone with additional information regarding the case or other potential victims to contact the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Detective Division at 805-781-4500. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867, using the P3Tips app, or visiting www.slotips.org.

This is an ongoing investigation, and officials have stressed their commitment to uncovering the full extent of the alleged abuses.

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