A US survivor of childhood sexual abuse has expressed hope that the death of former Catholic priest Ronald Paquin will help victims and their families move forward after years of trauma. Keith Townsend, who successfully pursued criminal charges against Paquin, reflected on his experience following the priest’s death in a Maine correctional facility.
Former Priest Dies While Serving Prison Sentence
Ronald Paquin, a former Boston Catholic priest who was removed from the clergy, died on September 11, 2026, at Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston, Maine. He was 83.
Paquin had been serving a 16-year prison sentence imposed in 2019 after being convicted of sexually abusing Townsend. The case followed an earlier conviction in Massachusetts involving another altar server.
The priest’s history became part of the wider Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal that shook the Archdiocese of Boston and prompted significant public scrutiny of the church’s handling of abuse allegations.
Townsend, now 52, said he hoped Paquin’s death would allow survivors and their families to find some peace while continuing to deal with the lasting impact of the abuse.
Survivor Describes Years of Trauma and Recovery
Townsend said he was between eight and 13 years old when Paquin abused him during camping trips in Kennebunkport, Maine, between 1985 and 1989.
He had previously served as an altar boy at St John the Baptist church in Haverhill, Massachusetts, where Paquin had worked. Townsend said the abuse contributed to struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, as well as periods of incarceration.
He came forward with his allegations after learning that Paquin had been released from prison in 2015. A Maine grand jury indicted the former priest in 2017 on new charges involving Townsend and another individual.
Following a trial in November 2018, Paquin was found guilty of abusing Townsend. He was acquitted of the allegations involving the other person.
A judge sentenced him to another 16 years in prison in May 2019.
Townsend said his decision to seek justice was driven by a desire to protect children from further abuse. He also spoke about rebuilding his life after overcoming addiction and creating a family.
Spotlight Film Helped Raise Awareness of Clergy Abuse
Paquin’s earlier abuse conviction was among the cases investigated by the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team. The newspaper’s reporting exposed widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and the institutional failures surrounding it.
The investigation later inspired the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, which portrayed the work of journalists uncovering the scandal.
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represented numerous survivors of clergy abuse, said the film helped victims recognise that they were not alone and that the abuse was not their fault.
Townsend said he had not yet watched the film but appreciated the attention it brought to the experiences of survivors.
He reflected on the importance of holding Paquin accountable, saying that knowing his efforts may have prevented further abuse was what mattered most to him.
For Townsend, the former priest’s death marks another moment in a long journey of recovery. While the effects of childhood abuse remain, he hopes other survivors and their families can find a way to keep moving forward.
