Priest Accused of Abuse in Florida Lawsuit

Accusations of Sexual Abuse Against a Roanoke Priest

A priest from Roanoke, Virginia, has been accused in a Florida lawsuit of sexually abusing a minor during the early 2000s. Father George Zina is currently serving at St. Elias Catholic Church Maronite Center in Roanoke. The lawsuit was filed in Orange County, Florida, earlier this month by an individual identified as John Doe against the Diocese of Orlando and two local churches, Holy Family Catholic Church and Saint Jude Maronite Catholic Church.

The plaintiff is seeking $10 million in damages. However, Zina is not listed as a defendant in the case. Instead, the lawsuit claims that the Diocese and the churches were negligent in failing to prevent the alleged abuse. According to Jenny Rossman, a trial attorney representing the plaintiff, the Diocese and churches should have known about Zina’s potential danger and failed to protect the victim.

A History of Alleged Abuse

The lawsuit states that the plaintiff's family began interacting with Zina in 2001 when the boy was nine years old. He became an altar server, and the allegations suggest that Zina started grooming him. The lawsuit claims that Zina told the boy that God had blessed him to be in a same-sex relationship with the altar server. This claim is also included in the legal documents.

According to the lawsuit, the abuse continued until the plaintiff turned 15 in 2007. Now an adult, the plaintiff has suffered from long-term trauma, including substance abuse issues, depression, and anxiety. Rossman emphasized that the plaintiff is motivated to help others avoid similar experiences.

Movement Between Churches

The lawsuit reveals that Zina was placed on leave from 2009 to 2010 before being transferred to a Roman Catholic Church in Springfield, Massachusetts. He later joined St. Elias Catholic Church in Roanoke in 2022.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WDBJ7 that it conducted a criminal investigation into the allegations and submitted its findings to the State Attorney’s Office for review. It remains unclear whether any charges will be filed against Zina.

Response from the Eparchy

The Eparchy of Saint Maron in Brooklyn, which oversees all Maronite Catholic Churches on the East Coast, including St. Elias, issued a statement regarding the situation. In January of this year, Father Zina informed the Eparchy that he received a phone call from a woman who claimed that many years ago, while assigned in Orlando, Zina had inappropriately touched her son. The woman alleged that her son was a minor at the time.

A complaint was made to local law enforcement, who contacted Zina as part of their investigation. Law enforcement then reached out to the Eparchy. Zina and the Eparchy have fully cooperated with the investigation. However, no findings have been made yet regarding the truth of the claim.

Earlier this week, the Eparchy learned that a lawsuit was filed against the Diocese of Orlando, naming Zina as an alleged perpetrator. Zina immediately denied the claim and continues to strongly deny it. He has vowed to defend his good name and reputation.

No Previous Complaints

The Eparchy has never received a complaint from the alleged victim. Additionally, there have been no complaints of this nature against Zina during his more than 38 years of priesthood. According to the Eparchial Policy to Address Claims of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests and Deacons, the Review Board determined that no action was necessary at this time given the lack of evidence and the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Legal Representation and Ongoing Investigations

Roanoke attorney Ray Ferris is representing Zina and the Saint Elias Parish. In a statement to WDBJ7, Ferris said that the parish and Father Zina are aware of the accusations but have not made further comments at this time.

WDBJ7 attempted to contact the Diocese of Orlando, the two churches named in the lawsuit, and the 9th District State Attorney’s Office for comment, but has not yet received a response.