Priest On St. Jude's Relic Tour Surrenders To Joliet Police: English

JOLIET ? The Joliet Police Department on Tuesday issued a press release revealing that 50-year-old Catholic priest Father Carlos Martins has officially been arrested, processed at the police station and released from custody after being charged with battery in connection with an incident in Joliet in November.

Although court documents filed last week indicated that Father Martins lived in Houston, Joliet police said he now lives in Detroit. He is well-known for his 2023 podcast series featuring dramatic audio portrayals of allegedly demonic encounters he claims to have experienced in ministry as an exorcist.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said at 3:23 p.m. Nov. 21, officers responded to the Queen of Apostles Church ? previously known as St. Paul the Apostle Church ? at 130 Woodlawn Avenue for a battery allegedly involving the out-of-town priest.

At the church, English said Joliet police learned that a priest had approached a 13-year-old girl standing in line to view the relic of St. Jude and asked her about her hair.

Joliet police said the priest proceeded to grab the victim?s hair and made a flossing motion with her hair in his mouth. Police were also told that after the victim had sat down, the priest sat behind her and made a growling noise, English said.

Upon further investigation, Martins was identified as the suspect in this incident, and it was learned that he had come to the church as a representative of the relic of St Jude tour.

A full investigation of the incident was completed by Joliet police detectives and the findings were submitted to the Will County State?s Attorney Office for their review. Following the review, prosecutors approved a charge of one count of misdemeanor battery.

Martins was placed into custody at 9:41 a.m. Monday after the complaint warrant for battery was quashed in court.

Martins was processed and released on a notice to appear in court, English noted.