New York's attorney general has issued civil subpoenas to all eight Roman Catholic dioceses in the state as part of a sex abuse investigation, a law enforcement source has said.
The subpoenas are part of an ongoing civil investigation by Attorney General Barbara Underwood's office into how dioceses reviewed, and potentially covered-up, allegations of extensive sexual abuse of minors, said the source, who asked not to be identified.
Last month Ms Underwood sought to partner with district attorneys, the only entities with the power to convene grand juries in the state, to investigate possible crimes and potentially prosecute individuals who have committed criminal offences within the statutes of limitations.
There is no time limit under New York state's statute of limitations for so-called Class A crimes such as rape.
The development comes atfter a grand jury in the US state of Pennsylvania published a report decrying a systematic cover-up of abuse by the church there.
"The Pennsylvania grand jury report shined a light on incredibly disturbing and depraved acts by Catholic clergy, assisted by a culture of secrecy and cover ups in the dioceses," Ms Underwood said in a statement, announcing the New York investigation.
The Archdiocese of New York said in a statement it was eager to work with Ms Underwood in the investigation and provide any information available.
"Not only do we provide any information they seek, they also notify us as well when they learn of an allegation of abuse, so that, even if they cannot bring criminal charges, we might investigate and remove from ministry any cleric who has a credible and substantiated allegation of abuse," said Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York.
The Diocese of Buffalo said in a statement that it would cooperate with any investigation by the New York State attorney general or district attorney.
New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said that his office was creating a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members within the state's Catholic dioceses.
Mr Grewal said he was troubled by the Pennsylvania report.
"We owe it to the people of New Jersey to find out whether the same thing happened here," he said in a statement.
"If it did, we will take action against those responsible".
