Father Carlos Martins, a priest of the Companions of the Cross and host of the popular podcast The Exorcist Files, faced a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from an incident on November 21, 2024, at Queen of Apostles Parish in Joliet, Illinois. While leading a nationwide tour of a first-class relic of St. Jude the Apostle through his ministry, Treasures of the Church, Martins was accused of inappropriate conduct involving a 13-year-old female student during a presentation attended by over 200 students. The allegations centered on claims that Martins touched the girl’s hair, made a joking remark about using it to “floss his teeth,” and later sat behind her, allegedly making a growling noise. These actions were reported as boundary violations, prompting the parish to contact the police and halt the relic tour. Martins was temporarily suspended from ministry by his religious order, the Companions of the Cross, pending a police investigation.
The incident began when Martins, known for his engaging and humorous style, reportedly attempted to build rapport with the students by joking about his baldness. According to his attorney, Marcella Burke, he commented to the girl, “You and I have almost the same hairstyle,” which elicited laughter, and then remarked that he once had long hair like hers, jokingly adding he would “floss my teeth with it.” The student’s father, upon hearing of the interaction, contacted the police, leading to a criminal complaint filed by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office on January 23, 2025. The complaint alleged that Martins placed the girl’s hair in his mouth in a “flossing motion,” an action his legal team vehemently denied, calling the accusations “egregious and unfounded” and describing the case as “a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church”.[](https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/02/04/exorcist-carlos-martins-pleads-not-guilty-battery-249837)[](https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exorcist-father-carlos-martins-cleared-of-all-charges-over-absurd-misconduct-allegations)
On July 30, 2025, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office dismissed all charges against Martins, closing the case without any finding of wrongdoing or criminal liability. The Burke Law Group announced that Martins had been “fully cleared,” with attorney Marcella Burke stating, “This was a case that never should have been brought forward.” Martins expressed gratitude for the support and prayers he received, saying, “I am thankful for the truth coming to light and look forward to resuming my ministry and continuing to preach the Gospel”. The dismissal followed a lack of evidence to support the allegations, with Martins’ legal team asserting that he never placed the girl’s hair in his mouth or growled at her, as claimed. The Diocese of Joliet had initially classified the incident as a“boundary issue” rather than sexual misconduct, noting that additional facts existed but declining to elaborate pending the investigation.[](https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exorcist-father-carlos-martins-cleared-of-all-charges-over-absurd-misconduct-allegations)[](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265661/father-carlos-martins-cleared-of-misdemeanor-charges-after-incident-at-illinois-parish)[](https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/relic-priest-responds-to-incident)
The resolution of the case was seen as a vindication for Martins, whose ministry had been significantly disrupted. The St. Jude relic tour, endorsed by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and attended by nearly 2 million pilgrims, was abruptly ended following the incident. Supporters, including EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo, called for Martins’ immediate restoration to ministry, emphasizing his innocence and the impact of his work in promoting faith through relic veneration and his podcast. The case highlighted the challenges faced by clergy in navigating public interactions, with some commentators noting a “hypervigilant atmosphere” where accusations can lead to swift suspensions despite a lack of evidence. Martins’ clearance allows him to move forward with his mission, which has inspired thousands through spiritual warfare teachings and devotion to sacred relics.[](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265661/father-carlos-martins-cleared-of-misdemeanor-charges-after-incident-at-illinois-parish)[](https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exorcist-father-carlos-martins-cleared-of-all-charges-over-absurd-misconduct-allegations)[](https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/st-jude-relic-tour-suspended-over)
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