Former New Orleans priest Mark Ford, 65, arrested on charges of first-degree rape and sexual battery related to abuse of a disabled boy starting in 2004.

A former New Orleans priest, Mark Ford, 65, has been arrested on charges including first-degree rape and sexual battery stemming from alleged abuse of a disabled boy starting around 2004. Authorities say Ford exploited the boy’s grief after family deaths, using visits to his home to commit repeated acts of sexual abuse, including showing pornography and physical assaults, while coercing silence. The victim’s mother reported the abuse in November 2024, leading to a forensic interview and arrest. Ford, who had prior ministry interruptions linked to a treatment program in 1997, was not listed on public clergy misconduct databases despite the allegations. He is scheduled for a bond hearing.