Father William Simms was ordained in 1962, despite having been banned from a summer camp in the 1950s due to a “sexual problem.” Reports of Simms sexually abusing altar boys at St. Andrew’s Church surfaced in the 1980s. In one instance, Simms directed a boy to “dress up in a sexually provocative female costume and sheer nylon swimsuit” and then sexually abused him. The abuse included fondling, attempted sodomy, attempted oral rape, and sexual molestation.
Lawsuits were filed detailing the sexual abuse suffered by two survivors, and the Archdiocese settled with their families. It is alleged that the Archdiocese knew or should have known about Simms’s previous misconduct but failed to take appropriate action. Simms underwent therapy but was granted immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for cooperating with law enforcement. The Archdiocese discouraged families from pursuing civil claims and minimized Simms’s conduct. Simms continued to serve in limited capacities, with restrictions on his interaction with children, until his retirement in 2002. He died on September 30, 2005.
| Date | Position (If Available) | Church/Organization | Location |
| 1950 | Seminarian | St. Martin’s Summer Camp | Baltimore, MD |
| 1962-1966 | Assistant Pastor | Basilica of the Assumption | Baltimore, MD |
| 1966-1971 | Assistant Pastor | St. Joseph Parish | Cockeysville, MD |
| 1969-1978 | Chaplain | Baltimore County Police and Fire Departments | Baltimore, MD |
| 1971-1978 | Associate Pastor | St. Ursula Parish | Parkville, MD |
| 1978-1981 | Pastor | St. Joseph-on-Carrolton Parish | Buckeystown, MD |
| 1981-1985 | Pastor | St. Andrew by the Bay Parish | Cape St. Claire, MD |
| 1986 | Chaplain Trainee | Sacred Heart Hospital | Cumberland, MD |
| 1987-2002 | — | Tribunal of the Archdiocese | Baltimore, MD |
