"Additional Arrest Warrant Issued for Former Priest"
Los Angeles: On Tuesday, September 24, 2002, Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler authorized a warrant for the arrest of eighty-two year old, former priest, George Neville Rucker. Rucker is wanted by the Los Angeles Police Department for multiple allegations of child molestation.
This case involves allegations of child sexual abuse by 16 different women. All of the women stated that when they were children, Father George Neville Rucker molested them. Five of the incidents of child molestation occurred in Los Angeles. One incident occurred in East Los Angeles. The remaining 11 incidents occurred in the City of El Segundo. The earliest occurrence was in 1947; the latest in 1979.
While a priest with the Los Angeles Archdiocese, Father Rucker was assigned to Saint Alphonsus and Saint Agatha Parishes in Los Angeles, and Saint Anthony’s in El Segundo.
Mr. Rucker was ordained in 1946 and in April of 2002 was removed by the Archdiocese from the ministry.
On today’s date, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office contacted Mr. Rucker’s attorney to arrange the surrender of his client to police officials pursuant to the arrest warrant. Rucker’s attorney advised the District Attorney’s Office that his client was traveling out of the country.
The Los Angeles Police Department and the L.A. District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate this case in anticipation of taking Mr. Rucker into custody.
Please direct all further inquiries regarding this matter to Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.