Catholic priest now charged with aggravated sexual assault

January 16, 2026

Father Theodore Gabrielli

By KAREN VELIE

A Catholic priest is facing additional charges this week regarding allegations he sexually abused four children in San Luis Obispo County.

Father Theodore Gabrielli, 61, is now facing 38 criminal counts including aggravated sexual assault. All of the children were under the age of 14 when the alleged abuse began.

Gabrielli pleaded not guilty to 26 charges at his arraignment hearing on July 8. He remains in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, sodomy by force, oral copulation upon a minor and lewd acts with a child.

From 1991 through 1999, Gabrielli allegedly brought three children under 14 years old to the Central Coast, according to court records. He is accused of committing oral copulation on the three boys from the same family.

From Aug. 2005 through Aug. 2010, he is accused of molesting, sexually assaulting and sodomizing his fourth victim. The child was 15 years old in 2010.

Two of the victims currently live in San Luis Obispo County.

Gabrielli has worked with churches and schools in San Jose, Los Gatos and Los Angeles, including Most Holy Trinity Parish in San Jose, Dolores Mission in Los Angeles and Social Ministries in Los Gatos.

At the time of his arrest in June, Gabrielli was a member of the Loyola High School of Los Angeles Board of Directors while also working with the Dolores Mission in Los Angeles.

Gabrielli’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26.

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