Former Danbury Pastor Sentenced for Dealing Meth

By Feroze Dhanoa
The Patch
May 7, 2015

http://patch.com/connecticut/danbury/former-danbury-pastor-sentenced-dealing-meth-0

A suspended Roman Catholic priest, who served as pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Danbury has been sentenced to 65 months in prison for dealing crystal meth.

Monsignor Kevin Wallin, 63, also known as “Monsignor Meth” was sentenced on Thursday in Hartford, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force.

The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of meth, physical surveillance and the use of an undercover officer, revealed that Chad McCluskey and his girlfriend, Kristen Laschober, of California, sent shipments of meth to Wallin over the course of approximately four years.

After receiving the shipments, Wallin distributed the drug to other dealers and also sold it to his own customers. Some of the shipments were sent on consignment with the understanding that Wallin would pay McCluskey and Laschober with proceeds generated from his distribution of the drug.

For a time during the conspiracy, Wallin received between one and three pounds of meth from McCluskey and Laschober on a monthly basis. On six occasions between September 2012 and January 2013, Wallin sold meth to the undercover officer.

Wallin has been detained since his arrest on January 3, 2013. A court-authorized search of Wallin’s residence on that date revealed meth, drug paraphernalia and drug packaging materials. Wallin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine (“meth”).

Wallin had asked for leniency from a judge asking for no more than 4 years followed by a year of home confinement and 500 hours of community service and drug treatment.

His public defender filed a sentencing request in March citing the priest’s charitable work and letters of support, including one from late New York Cardinal Edward Egan.