Former priest will face trial for allegedly molesting boys in SLO County
A former Jesuit priest accused of raping and molesting four children from Mexico for nearly two decades and throughout California — including in San Luis Obispo County — will face trial.
The District Attorney’s Office announced SLO County Superior Court Judge Jesse Moreno’s ruling in a news release Friday after several of the alleged victims testified during four days of preliminary hearings held since March.
“This ruling affirms that there is sufficient evidence for these serious allegations to be fully heard in court,” District Attorney Dan Dow said in the release. “Cases involving the sexual abuse of children leave lasting harm, and our office is committed to holding offenders accountable regardless of when these crimes occurred.”
The Rev. Theodore Gabrielli, 62, will be held to answer on 24 felony counts of forced oral copulation, sexual abuse, forcible lewd acts, aggravated sexual assault and sodomy by force. All of the acts were allegedly committed against children under the age of 15 between 1991 and 2010.
The priest was previously charged with 35 counts for the same crimes, but Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth said the prosecutor on the case will not pursue all the charges.
“The District Attorney’s Office is contemplating filing additional charges, which it believes were proven at the hearing,” the release said.
Four alleged victims have come forward against the priest: Three brothers from Mexico — Oscar, Patricio and Felix — and a fourth victim, Steven, from San Jose, California, who is not related to the family. They have all gone by their first or middle names only during court hearings to protect their identities.
The family from Tijuana, Mexico, allegedly became close with Gabrielli when the brothers were young, and the priest was allowed to take the three boys with him to many places across Mexico and the United States, including to San Luis Obispo County. Steven, who is not a member of the family, was also allegedly permitted to travel with Gabrielli.
“We recognize the courage it takes for victims to come forward, and we will continue to stand with them in the pursuit of justice,” Dow said in the release.
Gabrielli was arrested a year ago on June 12, 2025, and accused of sexually assaulting the boys on these trips, including at his parents’ house in Los Osos. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges in July.
Gabrielli is scheduled to return to court for his next hearing on July 14. He will remain in custody at the SLO County jail without bail, the release said.
