Key Takeaways
- Father William Tanguay was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sex Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
- According to the report, Tanguay solicited five teenagers and young men for sex between 1965 and 1987, targeting homeless and low-income youth in downtown Providence with offers of food, money, and shelter.
- Despite Tanguay admitting to sexual contact with at least one complainant in 2000, the Diocese restored his ministry after a “favorable evaluation,” and he was later allowed to retire in Thailand in 2008 with a pension and benefits.
Who Was Father William Tanguay?
Father William Tanguay was ordained in 1969 and spent most of his active ministry at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Providence, later directing Hmong refugee ministries in Minnesota and North Carolina before his 2002 suspension.
Tanguay is identified on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report and included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy. Except for his first victim, a boarding school student he coached, his targets were homeless or low-income teenagers he met on the street near St. Michael’s and lured with food and shelter. (Appendix A, p. 338)
Father William Tanguay Assignment History
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, Tanguay served at:
- 1969: Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston
- 1969–1974: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, North Providence
- 1974–1995: Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Providence (with a 1983–1984 posting to Hmong refugee ministry in Minneapolis)
- 1995–2002: Hmong Ministry, Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina
- 2002: Suspended on leave
- 2008: Retired
The Allegations Against Father William Tanguay
Tanguay’s victims described a consistent method: he offered homeless or struggling teenagers food, money, or a place to sleep, then took them to his rectory bedroom.
- 1965: A student at a Diocesan boarding school in Warwick said Tanguay, his cross-country coach, sexually assaulted him at age 15. He disclosed the abuse to his wife in the late 1980s and to the Diocese in 2002.
- 1975: A young man in his 20s said Tanguay approached him outside St. Michael’s rectory while he was hungry, then began a sexual relationship involving oral sex “ten to twenty times” over about six months, sometimes in exchange for food or money.
- 1976: A 15 year old ward of the state, introduced to Tanguay through another priest, said Tanguay forced him into a shower, then repeatedly forced him to perform oral sex, provided drugs and alcohol, took him to motels for assaults involving restraints, and threatened to send him back to a children’s home where he’d previously been abused. He received a $50,000 settlement from the Diocese in 2005.
- 1976 or 1977: A 16 year old homeless ward of the state said Tanguay picked him up at night, drove him to the rectory in a red Datsun, performed oral sex on him five or six times over several years, and paid him $10 to $15 afterward. This complainant also separately accused Father Richard Meglio, who is likewise on the Diocese’s credibly accused list, of abusing him in a similar manner.
- 1987: A 16-year-old in foster care said Tanguay solicited him for sex in exchange for money and drugs, later depositing money into his prison account.
When the Diocese first investigated in 2000, Tanguay admitted to Director Robert McCarthy that he’d had sex with a young man in his rectory in the 1970s, though he claimed to believe him an adult. McCarthy found the allegation credible, and Tanguay’s description of the rectory and his car matched the victim’s account exactly. Bishop Mulvee restored his faculties within a month anyway, citing a “very favorable” evaluation the Diocese never fully produced. Three more victims came forward in 2002, all independently consistent, before Tanguay was granted an indefinite leave of absence, still with full pay and benefits. He retired in Thailand in 2008 with a pension; Bishop Tobin had separately requested an evaluation from Tanguay’s Thai headmaster, but the records the Diocese gave the Attorney General include no response to that request.
No Criminal Proceedings
Tanguay was never criminally charged. Under Rhode Island law before 1979, the conduct described could only be charged as a misdemeanor with a three-year statute of limitations, already expired by the time any complaint reached the Diocese. Diocesan counsel confirmed with a state prosecutor that reporting wasn’t legally required at the time.
Civil Litigation Against Father William Tanguay
One victim received a $50,000 settlement from the Diocese in 2005 following a lawsuit. Rhode Island’s expanded statute of limitations may still allow other survivors to pursue civil claims against the Diocese.
Support for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Father William Tanguay, Andreozzi + Foote is here to help.
Recent changes to Rhode Island law have created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across the nation. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the legal process.
If you were abused by Father Tanguay or another religious leader, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
Image sources: Father William Tanguay, via BishopAccountability.org. Church of St. Michael the Archangel, via Wikimedia Commons.
