MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A now-former Cincinnati parish staff member pleaded not guilty Tuesday afternoon in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin court room. Marco Melendez worked as the music director for Queen of Apostles Parish Family from February until the charges in Wisconsin were filed against him on June 25.
Fr. Alex McCullough, pastor of the parish family, said in a letter to parishioners that Melendez was no longer employed with the parish as of June 25. Melendez faces two counts of child enticement and one count of third-degree sexual assault for alleged actions that took place between 2016 and 2019 in Milwaukee, when he was director of the Milwaukee Children's Choir.
The alleged victim was a member of that choir when the acts of alleged grooming and sexual abuse occurred, court records show. The Queen of Apostles parish family in Cincinnati includes Our Lady of the Valley, Our Lady of the Rosary and St. James of the Valley, according to the parish website.
According to the letter from McCullough, Melendez went through the Archdiocese's mandated child protection requirements, including a criminal background check, and no prior charges nor convictions were revealed at the time he was hired in February. McCullough wrote that he is not aware of any allegations of criminal activity made against Melendez while he was with the Queen of Apostles Parish Family. According to the court documents filed in Wisconsin, the alleged victim spoke with police in May.
The victim told police that when h.
