A fugitive Sonoma priest who told church officials that he had sexual contact with young boys in Sonoma, Napa and Mexico worked at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Napa during the 1990s, according to top church officials.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is investigating whether Rev. Francisco Xavier Ochoa broke the law while he was in Napa, but so far the investigation has been fruitless.

"Our understanding is that prior to coming to Sonoma in 2000 or 2001, he was in Napa," Sonoma County Sheriff's officer Sgt. Dennis O'Leary said. "We are trying to find out what happened over there. We haven't found any documentation at this time. There isn't a police report we can locate and there doesn't seem to be anything in his personnel file."

Deirdre Frontczak, spokeswoman for the Santa Rosa Diocese, which includes Napa, said Ochoa primarily served the Hispanic community during his time in Napa. Most recently, Ochoa worked as a priest at the St. Francis Solano Catholic Church in Sonoma. Further information about his tenure wasn't available, Frontczak said, because a longtime vicar who may know more isn't due to return from Ireland for several days.

St. John's pastor Father Gordon Kalil said he only became aware of the Napa connection this week. He expressed sadness about the prospect there may be potential victim in Napa, and said he hopes that person has come forward and sought the help needed to recover.

Ochoa served in Napa as much as a decade before Kalil came to St. John's.

On April 28, Ochoa met with church officials. According to a timeline available on the diocese Web site -- www.santarosacatholic.org -- Ochoa told Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese Bishop Daniel Walsh and others about three incidents. According to the church's timeline, Ochoa "admits the truth of the Sonoma incident, and reveals two prior incidents in Napa and Mexico which were unknown to the bishop until that moment."

According to a letter Walsh sent to his parish, he immediately placed Ochoa on administrative leave, and he contacted the diocese lawyer the next day, April 29, about Ochoa's admissions. The lawyer then contacted Sonoma County Child Protective Services, and the agency told the lawyer to contact police.

Meanwhile, Ochoa fled. Authorities believe he may be in Mexico.

It is possible that the Ochoa controversy could result in criminal charges against Walsh for failing to let authorities know immediately that he believed Ochoa had sexually abused children.

State law requires priests and other clergy to report suspected child abuse as quickly as possible, following up with a written statement within 36 hours. Failure to comply with the law could result in up to six months jail time or a $1,000 fine.

The Sonoma County District Attorney's Offices filed charges against Ochoa in June, alleging 10 felony offenses and one misdemeanor violation stemming from sexual acts committed on three minor victims. According to the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, the incidents included two occasions in which Ochoa kissed boys on the lips, and an offer to pay one boy to strip.

If convicted of offenses involving two or more victims, Ochoa faces a life sentence.

In an apology sent to parishioners on Aug. 12, Walsh said he did not delay in order to give Ochoa time to escape.

"I waited from an excess of caution," he wrote. "In attempting to consult first with our diocesan attorney, I made a mistake. I failed to be guided by my own precepts for decisive action and for doing the right thing."

The district attorney's office is deciding whether to file criminal charges against Walsh.

O'Leary said investigators are busy preparing the paperwork to extradite Ochoa from Mexico, but do not know where he is.

Regardless, O'Leary said he wasn't confident Ochoa would cooperate with the Napa investigation if he was found.

"I don't know what his frame of mind will be," O'Leary said.