Father Joseph Herzing (St. Cloud Diocese)
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A Catholic priest in central Minnesota who was serving five parishes has appeared in court on charges related to a woman he’s accused of sexually abusing while providing her spiritual counseling and he could face more charges for a second victim.
Father Joseph Herzing faces one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of stalking, and three counts of threats of violence related to a woman he counseled between 2018 and 2022.
Court documents say multiple witnesses reported seeing Herzing at the woman’s home late at night and early in the morning. Stearns County prosecutors say in February 2022, he choked her and threatened to kill her. Three months later, after she confronted him about another relationship, he choked her again, wrestled her to the ground, pulled her hair, and threatened to kill her. The criminal complaint says In August of that year, during a motorcycle ride, he threatened to crash into a tree and swerved toward an oncoming semi.
Church leaders later learned of potentially inappropriate behavior and Herzing was immediately placed on leave, ordered to undergo a professional evaluation, and required to complete a residential treatment program.
Prosecutors say while reviewing records seized from the Diocese of St. Cloud in the first case, they discovered evidence showing Herzing had sex with a second woman on multiple occasions in Stearns and Hennepin Counties.
Comments