STEARNS CO., Minn. (FOX 9) - A man who posed as a monk for the Catholic Church, and was previously convicted of molesting teenage boys, has been charged again with criminal sexual conduct in a case stemming from 2009.
Monk charged with molestation
What we know:
Anthony Thomas Falco, 88, faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13-15.
Charges filed in Stearns County state that on July 25, 2025, authorities received a call from an adult man who said he wanted to speak with police about a sexual assault that occurred in St. Martin when he was 13 or 14 years old by a man later identified as Falco.
The victim’s family had met Falco after being contacted about carpooling to Sunday Mass. At the time, they were told he was a monk with the Catholic Church, according to the charges, and the victim had an interest in becoming a priest as well.
Contact between the two started only for church, but then moved to phone calls, charges state. He said contact then progressed to hugging and kissing him.
The victim went on to tell authorities about an incident during which he was convinced to go to Falco’s apartment. At that point, he said Falco locked the door, took off his monk attire and exposed himself. Falco then sexually assaulted him, according to the charges.
A few weeks later, the victim returned to the apartment, with Falco saying, "someone bad would come for him and his family" if he did not do what he was asked prior to another assault, charges allege.
According to the charges, the victim recalled the third and fourth incidents at the apartment, with the final one involving a camcorder set up by the bed, and another victim present.
A search of Falco’s criminal history revealed he was a registered predatory offender with an address in the City of St. Martin, from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010 – a timeframe during which the victim was between 14 and 15 years old.
In February 2010, Falco was booked into San Mateo County Jail on multiple counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts on a child younger than 14, and failing to register as a sex offender.
A decade before that, he was convicted of molesting two teenage boys while posing as a "Franciscan monk".
What's next:
According to charging documents, prosecuting attorneys don’t believe that Falco will respond to a summons, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The Source: Information provided by charges filed in Stearns County.