Boca Priest Accused of Soliciting Sex in N.C. Men's Room, by Jerome Burdi, Sun-Sentinel, September 6, 2007

Boca Priest Accused of Soliciting Sex in N.C. Men's Room

By Jerome Burdi
Sun-Sentinel
September 6, 2007

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-96bocapriest,0,2947699.story

Michael Royce Penland
Photo by St. Gregory's Episcopal Church Web site

BOCA RATON - A new priest at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church was issued a citation for allegedly soliciting sex in a North Carolina public park's men's room recently.

Though the announcement came out this week, police issued a citation for solicitation to the Rev. Michael Penland in June during a Waynesville police sting operation dubbed Operation Summer Heat. Waynesville is located near Asheville, N.C.

Penland, who has been a youth minister at the Boca Raton church since November, allegedly followed an undercover officer and solicited sex from him, police said. Penland allegedly followed the officer as he left the park and was pulled over.

"Mr. Penland was extremely nervous and was pacing back and forth," the police report read.

He told police he would lose his job if he was cited. When asked what he did, he dropped his head in his hands, according to the report. He told police he was a priest, married for 17 years and that his wife did not know of his homosexual affairs, police said. He told police he had been "participating in homosexual activity" for about five years.

Prior to moving to Florida, he was a priest in North Carolina, where he still maintains a residence.

The Rev. Andrew Sherman, rector at St. Gregory's, said Penland was suspended when the church learned of the news on Wednesday. He said Penland went through a thorough background check before he joining the parish. All reports indicated no criminal record, he said.

"The Episcopal Church has a zero tolerance policy toward inappropriate sexual behavior," Sherman said.

The diocese will conduct its own investigation, Sherman said. He said Penland's wife and 14-year-old son were standing by him and that everyone hopes Penland, a popular priest, is found innocent.