Deacon Laurence Gagnon served the Diocese of Providence for more than three decades, first at West View Nursing Home in West Warwick and then at St. Joseph Church and School in West Warwick. He was a trusted figure in that community, a permanent deacon and a teacher. For the children in his care, that trust was catastrophically broken. If you were abused by Deacon Gagnon, or by anyone in a position of religious authority, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault. A sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights and your options under Rhode Island law.

Table of Contents

• Who Is Deacon Laurence Gagnon and What Did He Do?
• How the Diocese of Providence Responded to Clergy Abuse Allegations
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A / S-2616A) and What It Means for Survivors
• Why the Revival Window Matters for Gagnon Survivors Specifically
• Your Civil Rights as a Survivor of Clergy Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island
• FAQs About Deacon Laurence Gagnon and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Is Deacon Laurence Gagnon and What Did He Do?

The Rhode Island Attorney General identified 72 clergy as credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence, based on the totality of information in the office’s possession. Deacon Laurence Gagnon is among them. He was born on July 25, 1940, and ordained for the permanent diaconate in 1979.

Gagnon was assigned to St. Joseph Parish in West Warwick and was a teacher at its school from 1990 to 2011. He was allowed to resign in June 2011 after he was accused of inappropriately touching at least three sixth-grade boys between 2006 and 2011. The boys were his students.

He was arrested in August 2011 and charged with three counts of second-degree child molestation. He confessed to fondling three boys. In April 2013, Gagnon pleaded no contest to three counts of second-degree child molestation and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with one year to serve. He was ordered to register as a Level 3 sex offender.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Appendix A report, Deacon Laurence Gagnon allegedly sexually abused at least six boys while serving as a permanent deacon and teacher at St. Joseph Parish School in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Gagnon died in August 2021. His death does not end the legal story for survivors. Civil claims may still be pursued against the institutions that employed and supervised him.

How the Diocese of Providence Responded to Clergy Abuse Allegations

In total, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report identified 61 diocesan priests and deacons, 13 religious order members, and one “extern” priest as having been credibly accused of abusing children. The investigation found that at least 315 children had been victims of clergy abuse since 1950. Gagnon’s case did not exist in a vacuum. It was part of a broader, documented pattern.

The Attorney General’s report, released on March 4, 2026, described how the Diocese of Providence handled complaints against accused clergy. In case after case, the Diocese prioritized avoiding public scandal over protecting children. Bishops transferred accused priests to new assignments, placed them on sabbaticals, or sent them to treatment programs rather than removing them from ministry and reporting them to law enforcement.

In Gagnon’s case, he was permitted to resign from ministry in June 2011 before his arrest in August of that year. He was included on the Diocese’s list of credibly accused clergy on July 1, 2019. The question survivors and their families are now asking is a fair one: what did the Diocese know, and when did it know it? That question is at the heart of civil litigation against institutions, and it is exactly what Rhode Island’s new law is designed to address.

The pattern of institutional failure documented in the Attorney General’s report is consistent with what survivors of Gagnon and other Diocese clergy experienced. An experienced sexual abuse lawyer can investigate what the Diocese knew about Gagnon’s conduct and whether it took reasonable steps to protect the children in his care.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A / S-2616A) and What It Means for Survivors

On June 11, 2026, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed legislation giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse a new opportunity to pursue civil claims that would otherwise be permanently closed. The law opens a two-year revival window beginning July 1, 2026, and closing June 30, 2028.

The legislation (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Senator Mark McKenney. The law amends the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of a child and creates a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse.

The new law establishes a two-year civil revival window that opens from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired. This matters enormously for survivors of Gagnon’s abuse. Many of the boys he targeted were sixth-grade students, meaning they were children in the mid-2000s. Some may have spent years, even decades, processing what happened before they felt ready to come forward.

Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act (or age 53) or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse. The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities, and sports leagues, as well as supervisors. This means survivors can pursue civil claims not just against Gagnon’s estate, but against the Diocese of Providence itself.

Why the Revival Window Matters for Gagnon Survivors Specifically

Deacon Gagnon’s abuse occurred over a span of years at a Catholic school. He held dual authority over his victims: the authority of a teacher and the spiritual authority of a permanent deacon. That combination of power made it especially difficult for children to speak up, and it made it easier for abuse to continue undetected or unreported.

In 2019, the Rhode Island General Assembly extended the statute of limitations and gave previously time-barred survivors an opportunity to sue. But in 2023, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the 2019 law only applied to suits against individual perpetrators, not the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. That ruling left many survivors without a path to hold the Diocese accountable. The 2026 law directly fixes that gap.

All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. That deadline is real. If you were abused by Deacon Gagnon and your civil claim previously expired, you now have a defined window to act. Waiting is the one thing that could cost you this opportunity permanently.

The revival window applies to claims against institutions and supervisors. If the Diocese of Providence knew or should have known about Gagnon’s conduct and failed to act, that failure can form the basis of a civil claim. The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz are actively reviewing claims from survivors who were abused by clergy in the Diocese of Providence, including those connected to St. Joseph Church and School in West Warwick.

Your Civil Rights as a Survivor of Clergy Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island

A criminal conviction or plea, like Gagnon’s no-contest plea, is separate from a civil lawsuit. Civil claims serve a different purpose. They allow survivors to seek compensation for the harm they suffered, including the lasting psychological, emotional, and financial effects of childhood sexual abuse. Civil cases can also force institutions to answer publicly for what they knew and what they chose to do, or not do, about it.

Rhode Island law recognizes that survivors of childhood sexual abuse often carry their trauma for years before they are ready to come forward. The 2026 revival window law reflects that reality. It gives survivors whose time limits had run out a second chance to pursue justice against the institutions that failed them, not just the individuals who harmed them.

You do not need a criminal conviction to bring a civil claim. You do not need to have reported the abuse to police at the time it happened. You do not need to have filed a previous lawsuit. What you need is a legal team that understands Rhode Island’s child sexual abuse laws, the Diocese of Providence’s documented history of institutional failure, and how to build a civil case that holds powerful institutions accountable.

At Sommers Schwartz, our attorneys represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. If you or someone you love was abused by Deacon Gagnon or another member of the Diocese of Providence clergy, contact us today. Speaking with a sexual assault attorney costs nothing, and it could be the first step toward reclaiming your voice.

FAQs About Deacon Laurence Gagnon and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Can I still file a civil lawsuit against the Diocese of Providence for abuse by Deacon Gagnon if Gagnon is deceased?

Yes. Gagnon’s death in August 2021 does not end your ability to pursue a civil claim. Rhode Island’s 2026 revival window law (H-7200A / S-2616A) allows survivors to bring civil claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. That means you can pursue a claim against the Diocese of Providence directly, even though Gagnon is no longer living. The revival window is open from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.

What does it mean that Deacon Gagnon was “credibly accused” by the Rhode Island Attorney General?

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s office defines “credibly accused” as an allegation of sexual misconduct against a child where there is a reasonable basis to believe the alleged conduct more likely than not occurred. Gagnon was included on the Diocese of Providence’s list of credibly accused clergy on July 1, 2019, and his conduct is documented in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report. This designation reflects the Attorney General’s independent assessment of the evidence, not just a victim’s accusation alone.

Does Rhode Island’s new 2026 law apply to my claim if I was abused at a Catholic school?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A / S-2616A), signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, specifically targets institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. A Catholic parish school like St. Joseph School in West Warwick falls squarely within the scope of that law. If the school or the Diocese knew about Gagnon’s conduct and failed to act, those institutions can be named in a civil lawsuit during the revival window period.

I was abused by Deacon Gagnon years ago but never reported it. Is it too late to come forward?

It is not too late. The 2026 revival window was created precisely for survivors whose time limits had already expired under prior law. You are not required to have reported the abuse to police or to have filed a previous lawsuit. Many survivors of childhood sexual abuse take years or even decades before they feel ready to come forward, and Rhode Island’s new law acknowledges that reality. The window to file runs through June 30, 2028, so acting promptly is important.

What kind of compensation can a survivor of clergy sexual abuse seek in a Rhode Island civil lawsuit?

In a civil lawsuit in Rhode Island, survivors of childhood sexual abuse can seek compensation for a range of harms, including past and future medical and mental health treatment costs, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other damages tied to the lasting effects of the abuse. Civil claims are separate from any criminal proceedings and focus on holding the abuser, and the institutions that enabled the abuse, financially accountable. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can evaluate your specific situation and explain what types of damages may apply to your claim.

More Resources About Clergy Abuse

• Diocese of Providence Clergy Abuse
• Father John Abruzzese
• Father Raymond Allard
• Father Argencourt
• Father Azzarone
• Father Barnes
• Father Battel
• Father Belhumeur
• Father Bordignon
• Father Dennis Brodeur
• Father Campbell
• Father Carpentier
• Father Cavanaugh
• Father Charland
• Father Corbesero
• Father Crafton
• Father D’Angelo
• Father DeAngelis
• Father Louis Demers
• Father Albert Desrosiers
• Father Paul Desrosiers
• Father Diogo
• Father Dolan
• Father Doran
• Father Dunn
• Father Dziob
• Father Edes
• Father Feeney
• Father Oscar Ferland
• Father Ferry
• Father Fitzgerald
• Father Flanagan
• Father Gillooly
• Father Gorton
• Father Guertin
• Father Holden
• Father James Jackson
• Father Edward Kelley
• Father Lacasse
• Father LaMountain
• Father Leboeuf
• Father Paul Henry Leech
• Father Lepire
• Father Lonardo
• Father Philip Magaldi
• Father Manu
• Father Normand Marcantonio
• Father Joseph McCra
• Father McIntyre
• Father Meehan
• Father Meglio
• Father Menard
• Father Micarelli
• Father O’Connell
• Father J.F. O’Neil
• Father W. O’Neill
• Father Powers
• Father Rafferty
• Father Raiche
• Father Reynolds
• Father Rocha
• Father Sadowski
• Father Santagata
• Father Francis Santilli
• Father John Scagnelli
• Father Smyth
• Father Tanguay
• Father Tedeschi
• Father Tormey
• Father Tousignant
• Father Turillo
• Father Ventre