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Alleged failure to report
Crime: 1990s, 2000s,
Crime state:
Victoria, 
Crime country:
Australia,
"Who I was and who I would have grown up to be was stolen by you."Fornaro was reportedly known as a churchgoing "virtuous man of faith" -
- Convicted:
2026,
Positions: Bishop, Ward mission leader, - During crime: Bishop, Ward mission leader,
- Mission:
Australia - Perth Australia 
Alleged:
3, 
Alleged crime scenes:
Perpetrator's home, 
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Pleaded guilty, 
Alleged church actions: unknown, 
updated Oct 15, 2026 - request update | add info
Ricky Fornaro was a Mormon church member in Warragul, Victoria, Australia.
Fornaro was reportedly was known in his community as a churchgoing “virtuous man of faith”.
In July 2026, Fornaro was convicted and sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in jail.
According to someone familiar with Fornaro’s case, one of the victims was an adult at the time of the report of sexual abuse to their LDS bishop. They stated the bishop asked if they understood he would have to report the abuse to the police, and the victim said yes. The source told FLOODLIT that the bishop called stake president Graham Smith in 2022.
Disclosure & Arrest:
One of the victims disclosed the abuse to a LDS bishop before going to police in 2022. A police report was made of sex crimes against three minor females that occurred between 1999 and 2009. Fornaro was arrested at his Buln Buln home in mid-2022 and taken to Warragul police station, where he made partial admissions.
Court Proceedings:
Fornaro pleaded guilty to a stack of charges. Fornaro appeared in person. Defence lawyer Carmela Pezzimenti said Fornaro had written a letter of apology and was relieved the case was ending; his guilty plea was cited as a major mitigating factor. Fornaro was remanded in custody, with sentencing set for July 23.
Sentencing:
County Court, Friday, July 2025. Judge Marcus Dempsey sentenced Fornaro to 3 years and 8 months in prison, with a non-parole period to be served before eligibility. Dempsey described the offending as “abhorrent” and noted its “persistence and pattern.” He acknowledged Fornaro was otherwise regarded by his community as a virtuous, hardworking man, but stated Fornaro had “plenty of time to reflect on the wrongfulness of his conduct” and pursued the abuse anyway.
Victim Impact:
One victim’s statement, read/referenced in court, described profound and lasting psychological harm: feeling imprisoned in her own body during the abuse, self-directed hatred and body-image trauma, and the loss of “who I was and who I would have grown up to be.”
If you have any information about Fornaro’s LDS membership history please contact us.
Have any info on this case? Contact FLOODLIT.
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Sources
- Fall from grace: Grubby Gippsland builder unmasked as vile sex offender,
- Alleged child sex offender faces Gippsland court,
- Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court: Ricky Fornaro faces child sex allegations,
- Builder Ricky Fornaro sexually abused three girls over a decade,
- Ricky Fornaro fronts court over sexually abusing three children,
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1. Fall from grace: Grubby Gippsland builder unmasked as vile sex offender
A retired Gippsland builder’s reputation as a “virtuous man of faith” has crumbled after he was exposed as a sexual predator- more than two decades after abusing three girls
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2. Alleged child sex offender faces Gippsland court
[paywalled]
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3. Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court: Ricky Fornaro faces child sex allegations
A Gippsland man is facing serious child sex offences that will be heard at a two-day committal hearing.
A Gippsland man will face court after he was charged with committing sex acts against three minors.
Ricky Fornaro, 61, appeared via web link wearing a blue shirt at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court on Friday for a committal mention hearing, we're he faced child sex related charges.
Defence lawyer Nadia Giorgianni told the court heard client was seeking to contest all charges and allegations made against him.
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4. Builder Ricky Fornaro sexually abused three girls over a decade
[date approximate]
A retired Gippsland builder's reputation as a "virtuous man of faith" has crumbled after he was exposed as a sexual predator who attacked three girls.
A Gippsland builder's vile sex offending has caught up with him and he was jailed for the prehistoric sexual abuse of three girls.
Ricky Fornaro, 63, a retired builder, came to police attention and twenty twenty-two – more than two decades after what they 's sentencing judge in the county court on Friday described as " abhorrent" behavior.
Fornaro was ordered to serve three years and eight months behind bars before he's eligible for parole after admitting to a stack of charges, including indecent assault, that took place between 1999 and 2009 in places including Gippsland.
Fornaro was arrested in mid– 2022 at his Buln Buln home and take to Warragul police station where he made partial admissions after one of his victims disclosed to his offending to a community leader before going to police.
Judge Marcus Dempsey said Fornaro, a father-of-six, otherwise was regarded highly biased community is a virtuous man of faith who had a strong work ethic.
His offending, the judge said, has had a powerful impact on the victims, as reflected in their powerful and eloquent victim impact statements.
One of the victims told the court during me plea hearing two weeks ago that her body was like a prison she could not escape from when Fornaro abused her.
"I can still feel the breath on my cheek and the feeling of your rough hands on my breast as you help me so tight I couldn't move.
"I didn't hate you, I hated myself. I used to grab parts of my body, hating them and wishing I could remove them from my body".
Judge Dempsey said Fornaro was prepared to satisfy his own sexual needs over the bodily integrity of his victims.
"Perhaps over time with the benefit of treatment, you'll develop insight for understanding as to how you behave so appallingly.
"one of the features of your offending is the sense of persistence and pattern to it," Judge Marcus said.
He said Fornaro had plenty of time to reflect on the wrongfulness of his conduct but he pursued anyway.
Fornaro undertook a variety of work over the years, including bricklaying, picking tobacco in Myrtleford and work as a builder until his retirement in 2022.
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5. Ricky Fornaro fronts court over sexually abusing three children
Three girls sexually abused as a child by a churchgoing ex-Gipsland builder have spoiken about the continuing emotional toll the grub's offending has had on them.
A churchgoing Gippsland Builder has been outed as a sex offender more than two decades after sexually abusing three girls.
Ricky Fornaro is looking at a long stint in jail after pleading guilty in the County Court inmate to a stack of charges, including indecent assault, that took place between 1999 and 2009 in places including Gippsland.
The 63 – year – old frontage court in Morwell for a plea hearing on Thursday, flanked by his wife.
Court documents stated Fornaro's offending including touching the victims' vagina and breasts.
One of Fornaro's victims disclosed his offending to a community leader before going to the police and 2022.
Fornaro was arrested at his Buln Buln home and taken to Warragul police station where he made partial admissions.
In her victim impact statement, one of the victims said her body was in prison she could not escape from when Fornaro abused her.
"I can still feel the breath on my cheek and the feeling of your rough hands on my breast as you help me so tight I couldn't move," she said in her statement
"I didn't hate you, I hated myself. I used to grab parts of my body, heating them and wishing I could remove them from my body.
"who I was and who I would have grown up to be was stolen by you," she said.
Defence Lawyer Carmela Pezzimenti said Fornaro had written a letter of apology that he was relieved to cases coming to an end.
His plea was a major mitigating factor and has sought to have his bail revoked, she submitted.
Fornaro undertook a variety of work over the years, including bricklaying, picking tobacco in Myrtleford and worked as a builder until his retirement in 2022.
Fornaro was remanded in custody for sentencing on July 23.
Documents
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Criminal case documents
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