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Williams County investigation into alleged sex abuse by priest is closed, priest faces two other allegations in separate counties

At the wishes of the victim involved in the case, the Williams County Prosecutor’s Office and Montpelier Police Department have closed the alleged sex offense investigating involved Father Nelson Beaver.

WILLIAMS COUNTY (WTOL) - A joint investigation between the Montpelier Police Department and the Williams County Prosecutor’s Office closed it’s sexual abuse case against Reverend Nelson Beaver Monday. The investigation began in October 2018 when the accuser brought the allegation to the Diocese of Toledo.

READ MORE: Williams Co., Montpelier police to open investigation into priest

READ MORE: Priest accused of sexually abusing a minor served at 3 Toledo parishes

The accuser said Father Beaver sexually abused him over 25 years ago when Beaver was the priest at Sacred Heart Parish in Montpelier. The accuser would have been eight or nine years old during the alleged abuse, according to the Montpelier Police Department.

However, the investigation ended when the accuser didn’t want to pursue a criminal case against the priest.

At the wishes and direction of the victim of the case, the Williams County Prosecutor’s Office and Montpelier Police Department have closed the Williams County matter involving an alleged sex offense by Father Nelson Beaver over 25 years ago.

In October 2018, the Catholic Diocese of Toledo reported to the Williams County Prosecutor that an allegation had been made that Reverend Nelson G. Beaver sexually abused a child over 25 years ago. The Diocese reported that this was alleged to have occurred while Father Beaver was stationed at Sacred Heart Church in Montpelier, Ohio.

The victim, who is an adult, requested that law enforcement not proceed with further investigation or prosecution of the alleged offense. It is expected that the Catholic Diocese of Toledo will complete its own investigation into the matter.

According to the final investigation report, the accuser wants the Williams County Prosecutor to work with the Diocese of Toledo to have Father Beaver removed from the ministry.

Officials expect the Catholic Diocese of Toledo will complete its own investigation into the matter.

Father Beaver served as a pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Montpelier from 1984 to 1994, according to the Diocese of Toledo.

During the months-long investigation, two new allegations surfaced against Father Beaver. One out of Lucas County, the other coming from Huron County.

In November, the Montpelier Police Department received an allegation from a state inmate, claiming he too was abused by Father Beaver. The inmate said Father Beaver abused him in the “spring/summer of 1980” in Lucas County. The accuser alleged his family made several attempts to have an official investigation completed through the Toledo Police Department. The inmate said no official complaint was ever filed.

WTOL 11 has reached out to the Toledo Police Department about that complaint but have not heard back.

WTOL 11 has also reached out to the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if there’s an investigation into Father Beaver and have yet to receive a response.

According to the Diocese of Toledo, Father Beaver has served three parishes in Toledo. Most Blessed Sacrament from 1979 to1981, St. John the Baptist, from 1981 to 1984, and St. Hyacinth, from 2004 to 2005.

The other allegation came in December. According to the Montpelier Police investigation, a man reported his sister was abused by Father Beaver in the late 1970′s. The alleged incident happened in Huron County and the police chief in Montpelier passed it along to the Huron County prosecutor.

WTOL 11 has reached out to the Huron County Prosecutor's Office for comment. It's unclear if the allegation there is under investigation.

Father Beaver has served at three parishes in Huron County. According to the Diocese of Toledo, he served at St. Paul the Apostle, Norwalk, from 1976 to 1979, St. Mary, Norwalk, from 1994 to 2004, and St. Alphonsus, Monroeville, from 1994 to 2004.

Since the first allegation in October, Father Beaver has been on administrative leave from Resurrection Parish in Lexington, Ohio and St. Mary of the Snows Parish in Madison Township,Ohio.

The Diocese of Toledo is currently holding it's own investigation into the allegations.

“Now that the civil authorities in Williams County have determined they will not pursue the case, the Diocese, according to our policy, will begin a canonical process which includes a thorough investigation. The findings of which will be presented to an independent Review Board which will then, based on the facts, present a recommendation to the Bishop regarding Father Beaver’s suitability for ministry,” said Kelly Donaghy, Senior Director of Communications for the Diocese of Toledo.

Father Beaver has denied the allegations.