A former Family Feud contestant and teacher has been arrested and charged on multiple counts of child Sєxual abuse dating back 30 years.

Christopher Crisona, 57, who appeared on the show in 2010, and priest John Taggart, 80, have been charged with several felonies connected to allegations of abuse between 1994-1996 at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Wilmington, Delaware, and other locations.

Both Crisona and Taggart are accused of Sєxually abusing the same alleged victim, who was in their 7th and 8th grade years at the Catholic school. 

He has been charged with unlawful Sєxual contact 2nd degree, three counts of unlawful Sєxual intercourse 1st degree, unlawful Sєxual penetration 3rd degree, unlawful Sєxual contact 2nd degree and continuous Sєxual abuse of a child. 

Crisona worked at St Thomas’ for the 1994-1995 school year and part of the 1995-1996 school year – before he was removed mid year following a student complaint.

Taggart’s charges include continuous Sєxual abuse of a child, unlawful Sєxual penetration, unlawful Sєxual intercourse, and dangerous crime against a child. Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas from 1987 to 1998.

Former Family Feud contestant and teacher Christopher Crisona has been arrested and charged on multiple counts of child Sєxual abuse dating back 30 years

Crisona, 57, who appeared on the show in 2010 (pictured) -and priest John Taggart, 80, are accused of Sєxually abusing the same alleged victim, who was in their 7th and 8th grade years at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Wilmington, Delaware between 1994-1996 

After leaving St Thomas’ Crisona worked at St. Matthew’s in Wilmington(1999), Corpus Christi (1999), and St. Hedwig’s (2000). Official say Crisona currently works as an elementary school teacher in Florida. 

Father Taggart was apprehended following an anonymous report to the Diocese of Wilmington, and subsequent Wilmington Police Department investigation, regarding alleged Sєxual abuse by Taggart and Father John Francis O’Brien, who is now ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Per a Delaware Department of Justice statement:  ‘WPD’s investigation found evidence that Taggart repeatedly abused a victim during their 7th and 8th grade years at St. Thomas, and continued after the victim left St. Thomas and began high school.’

 In January of 1999 Taggart was sent to St. John the Apostle in Milford, and in January of 2001 was sent to St. Helena’s in Wilmington. 

He resigned from active ministry in 2004 and currently resides in Georgia.

In a statement obtained by DailyMail.com, Delaware Attorney General Kath Jennings said: ‘The State’s indictment alleges a pattern of gravely serious abuse against a juvenile by two adults in a position of trust.

‘As prosecutors, and as parents, these kinds of cases keep us up at night — but they also give us purpose. The victim in this case suffered profound trauma over a period of years and deserves justice. 

‘I’m grateful to the police, prosecutors, and social workers who have been critical to this investigation and who are committed to getting justice.’

Taggart’s charges include continuous Sєxual abuse of a child, unlawful Sєxual penetration, unlawful Sєxual intercourse, and dangerous crime against a child. Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas from 1987 to 1998 (pictured right in the 1980s)

Father Taggart was apprehended following an anonymous report to the Diocese of Wilmington regarding alleged Sєxual abuse by Taggart and Father John Francis O’Brien, who is now ᴅᴇᴀᴅ – St Thomas The Apostle school is pictured 

Crisona and Taggart are expected to be extradited to Delaware. 

Following the arrests, the Diocese of Wilmington issued a statement reading: ‘A former priest and a former teacher of the Diocese of Wilmington have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of Sєxual abuse occurring between 1994 and 1996. 

‘John Taggart, 80, and Christopher Crisona, 57, are charged with several felonies following an investigation into a report of abuse by the Delaware Department of Justice. The investigation began when the Diocese of Wilmington received an anonymous complaint and reported it to law enforcement.

‘John Taggart was arrested in Georgia on Friday, March 14, 2025. Taggart was indicted by a Delaware grand jury on March 3rd on 10 counts pertaining to the Sєxual abuse of a minor from the mid 1990’s while Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas the Apostle in Wilmington, DE. John Taggart resigned from priestly ministry in 2004 and moved out of state.

‘Additionally, Christopher Crisona of Orlando, Florida was also arrested and taken into custody after being indicted by a Delaware grand jury on March 3rd on 7 counts pertaining to Sєxual abuse of a minor during a similar time frame. In the mid-90s, Crisona was working as a teacher at St. Thomas the Apostle School. St. Thomas the Apostle School closed in 2008.

‘In keeping with policy, the Diocese of Wilmington has been and will continue to cooperate with the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.’

The DOJ is seeking other potential victims given the nature of the allegations and the defendants’ professional history. 

Anyone with information may contact (302) 577-5293 or [email protected] to provide information to prosecutors and investigators.