The New York Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) settles a claim in the low six figures against a serial Jesuit priest abuser who met and violently sexually abused a minor child, Neal Gumpel, at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, in 1974.
Rev. Roy Drake, SJ, deceased, who also taught at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, was “on leave” from the Jesuit order when, in 1973, he was hired to teach chemistry at Maine Maritime Academy.
A relative of Neal Gumpel was a student at Maine Maritime Academy, and Neal Gumpel spent the weekend visiting his relative. At that time, Neal Gumpel was informed that he would stay with Fr. Roy Drake, SJ, in his house on the campus of Maine Maritime Academy where Neal Gumpel was violently sexually abused as a minor child.
WHAT AND WHY
A Zoom press conference announcing a low six-figure settlement of the clergy sexual abuse claim of Neal Gumpel, who was sexually abused as a minor child by Fr. Roy Drake, SJ, at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, in 1974
WHEN AND WHERE
Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM via Zoom. Please use the Zoom link below to access the conference:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8793639574?pwd=S09NS240NEhoL09JMjIxRFErQXV2UT09
WHO
Neal Gumpel, a resident of Tennessee who spent most of his early years in the New York City metropolitan area, and who was sexually abused as a minor child by Fr. Roy Drake, SJ. The sexual abuse of Neal Gumpel took place at the house of Fr. Roy Drake, SJ, on the campus of Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, in 1974;
Helen Gumpel, the wife of Neal Gumpel;
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian of Boston, MA – Mr. Gumpel’s attorney; and,
Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Co-founder and President of Road to Recovery, Inc., a non-profit charity based in New Jersey that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families who has advocated for Mr. and Mrs. Gumpel for the past 16 years.
CONTACTS
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston, MA – (cell – 617-388-5252) – (office – 617-523-6250)
(Portrayed by actor Stanley Tucci in the 2016 Academy Award-winning Best Picture “Spotlight”)
Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800
