A Michigan priest is facing the charge of misdemeanor battery after allegedly ripping a girl's hair, flossing his teeth with it, and growling during a St. Jude relics tour.
The individual in question is Father Carlos Martins, who is a member of the Catholic Church and is known for leading religious relic tours and hosting an exorcism podcast, "The Exorcist Files." He was charged with misdemeanor battery in Illinois for the incident that happened in November 2024.
Ripping Out a Teenage Girl's Hair
A book with the same title accompanies the religious leader's podcast and details Martin's supposed ability as an expert in exorcism while also relaying his personal stories. The incident with the girl in the misdemeanor battery charge happened on Nov. 21, 2024, during a relic of St. Jude's tour at the Queen of Apostles parish in Joliet, Illinois.
The incident allegedly had Martins grabbing the hair of a 13-year-old girl and pitting it inside his mouth in a "flossing motion." The Joliet Police Department also confirmed that after the unusual incident, the religious leader went to sit behind the teenage girl and "make a growling noise," according to Fox News.
Read more: Alabama Faces Legal Challenge as Abortion Providers Sue to Halt Prosecution over Cross-Border Travel
After the incident, the religious tour was quickly stopped, and local law enforcement intervened after being called to the scene. Diocese of Joliet employees confronted Father Martins, telling him that he "must depart from our parish and out of our Diocese."
In a release, the diocese also said that, out of an abundance of caution, it has decided to cancel the veneration of the relic and the evening mass that was scheduled beforehand. On the other hand, an attorney representing Martins denied that the religious leader actually committed any of the acts detailed in the criminal complaint.
Denying the Allegations
Marcella Burke denied that Martins put anyone's hair inside his mouth, let alone floss with a teenage girl's hair or even growl. The attorney also called the other accusations against the religious leader completely false and repulsive, the New York Post reported.
The attorney wrote a cease-and-desist letter to media outlets, noting that the situation was an attempted takedown of a good priest and a shakedown of the Church itself. The Joliet Police Department processed the religious leader, arraigned, and released following the incident.
Burke also said that they are confident in the legal process and look forward to Martins's complete exoneration. The attorney added that, as per the Metro Times, they will continue to defend the accused's rights and reputation vigorously.
