(Boonville, MO) -- A man who grew up in central Missouri goes public with his story of abuse by a Boonville priest.

Mark McAllister says he was abused by Fr. Gerald James Howard when he was 13.
When Howard came to Missouri he already had a criminal conviction for molesting children in New Jersey.
But, he changed his name when he came to Missouri.

"No one was informed by church officials that his identity was changed ...to shelter the Newark and Jefferson City Diocese from the scrutiny of protecting a criminal of the worst possible kind," McAllister accuses.

McAllister recently settled his claim with the church for $600,000.   
Fr. Howard has since disappeared.

The Jefferson City Diocese says he left the Boonville church in 1984, but stayed in mid-Missouri.

Officials with Diocese have not denied knowing about Fr. Howard's past when he came to Missouri.