Miami priest arrested after squabble at donation table collecting relief for Cuba
.jpg "A Miami priest at St. Kevin’s was arrested after a donation drop-off turned physical during a dispute over anti-Cuba ads.")
A Miami priest is facing battery and two other charges following a donation drop-off gone awry.
The situation, seemingly fueled by a disagreement over politically charged anti-Cuba ads, escalated to a physical altercation ending with a woman biting the priest who allegedly damaged her car in an attempt to take her phone, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
The man, Jesús Gabriel Saldaña, 72 — who has been a priest at St. Kevin’s Catholic Parish for 20 years according to his lawyer — was arrested on Saturday in Miami-Dade County on multiple charges, including battery on a person 65 years or older. The church was collecting donations for hurricane relief for Cuba on Nov. 6, when the confrontation took place, according to a video of the bond court hearing.
A woman was dropping off donations at the church on Southwest 42nd Street around 11:40am when Saldaña, according to the sheriff’s report, told the alleged victim that she was not permitted to take photos of the donations with a poster related to anti-Cuba political ads and asked her to leave the premises. The alleged victim then asked for her donations back, leading to a verbal argument. The report showed that the victim began to record and take photos of the priest when the situation escalated.
Saldaña then lunged at the woman resulting in a scuffle that had to be broken up by bystanders, the report shows. Then after failing to take her phone and pull her out of the car, he ripped off the vehicle rearview mirror, according to the sheriff’s office report
The victim then bit Saldaña’s left wrist, the report say, causing him to let go of her. He then walked around to the passenger side door, reached into the car to grab her purse and dumped it on the floor in search of her phone.
In a video of the bond hearing, Saldaña’s lawyer David Rothman said his client was born and attended seminary school in Cuba and moved to Miami in 1987. Saldaña, according to his lawyer, has been working for the Archdiocese of Miami for close to four decades and has no prior charges.
Saldaña was booked and faces three charges: burglary of an occupied conveyance, battery on a person 65 years or older, and criminal mischief involving property damage of $200 or less.
Judge Eleane Sosa-Bruzon found probable cause and set alternate bonds of $7,500, $5,000, and $150 respectively. The judge also ordered a stay-away order on behalf of the victim meaning Saldaña is not allowed any contact with the woman.
The Miami Herald reached out to St. Kevin’s Catholic Parish and Saldaña’s attorney for comment. Neither immediately responded.
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and donors in South Florida’s Jewish and Muslim communities, including Kahlid and Diana Mirza and the Mohsin and Fauzi Jaffer Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM.
