Incident Report Provides More Information on Hiv Positive Cleveland Priest's Arrest over Soliciting Sex in the Metroparks
The Cleveland Leader
On Saturday, Rev. James McGonegal, pastor of St. Ignatius of Antioch Church on Lorain Avenue on Cleveland's west side, was charged with soliciting sex while being HIV positive after he was busted by a Metroparks ranger on Friday. McGonegal was arrested on Friday afternoon after the incident, which took place at Edgewater Park, and was held overnight in Cleveland City Jail. An incident report was released late Saturday, which revealed that McGonengal offered him $50 to help him "get off", exposed himself and then masturbated while sitting in his Jeep SUV. According to the report, McGonegal, 68, had three sex devices in his vehicle at the time of arrest, which occurred at 12:45pm. The report also said that there was a bottle inside the SUV that contained an intoxicant that during questioning after his arrest, McGonegal said he had purchased at a sex shop and smells to get "a buzz." The ranger, who was off-duty and wearing civilian clothes, that involved with the incident said that McGonegal made eye contact with him as he drove into a parking lot at Edgewater. The ranger said that he walked to a trail and looked back, noting that the priest had rolled down the driver side window of the vehicle and was tapping on the door frame and waving at him. The ranger said that he kept walking, waited about two minutes, and then headed back. McGonegal was then beginning to pull out to leave the area, but returned to the parking spot when he saw the man returning. The ranger says that when he got near the Jeep, the two began to talk. McGonegal said that he was "cruising." According to the report, the ranger asked McGonegal if he wanted to go for a walk, however he refused, stating that he knew of people who'd been arrested in the park by rangers. McGonegal invited the ranger into his Jeep, which he declined, so the priest suggested that the go to his nearby home. The conversation then moved to what McGonegal wanted, and how much he would pay. McGonegal told the ranger that he wanted "to get off" and would pay him $50. The ranger asked McGonegal if he was a cop, to which the priest replied that he was not. The ranger said that he acted unsure, and asked him to "see it." The ranger says that McGonegal unzipped his pants, removing his penis, and began to masturbate in front of him. At this point, the ranger says he informed McGonegal that he was a park ranger and that he was under arrest. The off-duty ranger had McGonegal exit his vehicle and turn over his ID and car keys while waiting for a marked patrol car to arrive on the scene. McGonegal was handcuffed and his car searched when the patrol car arrived. This is when rangers found three cock rings in the vehicle, as well as a small bottle labeled "Pig Sweat", a substance McGonegal said he purchased at a sex shop and would smell to get "a buzz." McGonegal was transported to Cleveland City Jail, and advised staff that he was HIV positive. On Saturday, McGonegal was charged with:
The Cleveland Catholic Diocese issued a statement on Saturday that they were cooperating with local authorities in the matter, but little else was said about McGonegal's arrest and activities. A priest since 1971, McGonegal has been pastor at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church since the mid 1980s. At Saturday evening's mass, McGonegal did not preside over the services. A priest in residence at St. Ignatius said the mass. Little was mentioned about the incident, other than when a lector greeted those in attendance and said, "Today we pray for this parish, and our pastor." St. Ignatius of Antioch was one of many local Catholic churches that Bishop Richard Lennon had identified for closure. The parishioners and pastor, however, were eventually successful in getting his 2009 decision overturned and were permitted to remain open.
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