Former Dubuque priest accused of sex abuse has died

A priest who formerly worked in Dubuque and faced allegations of sexual abuse has died. In a social media post, the Diocese of Venice in Florida confirmed t69-year-old Father Leo Riley passed away on December 16. Riley faced allegations of sexual abuse in Dubuque from the 1980s. He was charged with  five counts of second-degree sexual abuse in April of 2024, but the case was dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired. In October of 2024, three civil lawsuits were filed in Florida court against Riley and the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Riley denied the allegations against him.