Friday, April 5, 2013

Meth-Dealing Monsignor Pleads Guilty

Monsignor Kevin Wallin, the former priest arrested back in January on charges of dealing methamphetamine, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to possess the drug with intent to distribute. Wallin's story is one of those "you can't make this stuff up" news items, which includes allegations that he purchased a sex shop in order to launder drug money, much at odds with the behavior normally expected of religious leaders.

Kevin Wallin, of Waterbury, admitted to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was scheduled to be sentenced June 25. The agreed-upon sentence is 11 to 14 years.

Prosecutors said the 61-year-old Wallin had meth mailed to him from co-conspirators in California and sold the drugs out of his Waterbury apartment last year. He sold nearly four pounds in all, prosecutors said. He also bought an adult video and sex toy shop in North Haven named Land of Oz & Dorothy’s Place, apparently to launder the drug money, authorities said.

Wallin was suspended by his diocese in May 2012 after reports of "bizarre behavior," which I can't help thinking may have been due to dipping into his own supply of product. Methamphetamine use also may have fueled the risk-taking that led to his arrest. In all, Wallin's drug dealing apparently took in as much as $300,000 over the course of about six months, a pretty good haul if he could have kept it going and avoided criminal charges.

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