Priests in the Catholic Church can’t seem to catch a break—it seems like they’re always in the news for participating in some sort of illegal activity. For years, this typically involved molestation charges. But Monsignor , aka “Monsignor Meth,” has made a name for himself by taking a leaf out of Walter White’s criminal playbook. And now he wants a judge to give him a break for “breaking bad.”
Falling From Grace
Wallin, 63, pleaded guilty in 2013 to running a methamphetamine ring in Connecticut, dealing as much as three pounds of the drug a month and laundering his illegal income through a sex shop. As part of his plea deal with prosecutors, he agreed to serve 10 to 11 years in prison, leaving the exact term up to a judge. He’s spent the past two years in custody awaiting sentencing. With his sentencing date now imminent, his lawyer, Kelly Barrett, is arguing that he should serve only four years in a federal lockup, citing no fewer than 80 character references and the priest’s three decades’ worth of charitable services.
Given that Wallin may be eligible for two years of credit for the time he has already served while awaiting sentencing, and that federal prisoners serve 85 percent of their time, he may only spend another 20 months or so in jail if he succeeds in getting a four-year sentence. He’s also stipulated, in a sentencing agreement he’s worked out with his attorney and hopes the judge will approve, that he’ll confine himself to his house for a year, complete 500 hours of community service and go into treatment for his drug addiction—which is interesting, because you have to leave the house to do this.
Angel or Devil?
“The record evidence demonstrates that Kevin Wallin is an extraordinary man whose remarkable character and acts have touched thousands of people,” Barrett wrote in the sentencing request. “Kevin tragically became a methamphetamine addict. He fell from grace and did criminal wrong, but has confessed his crimes and has been working hard to atone for them.”
Barrett described Wallin as an upstanding priest with many noble accomplishments under his belt, including volunteering to help community groups, founding an AIDS ministry program, leading an inner city charity group, and serving on the Danbury Cultural Commission and the board of directors of Sacred Heart University.
But federal prosecutors and investigators are telling an entirely different story about the fallen priest. They emphasize the seriousness of Wallin’s crimes and add that he wasn’t working alone. Associates in California began sending him meth in late 2008 and he ended up receiving one to three pounds of meth a month by 2011, operating the drug ring from his apartment in Waterbury.
The California associates—Chad McCluskey of San Clemente and Kristen Laschober of Laguna Niguel—got slapped with five years behind bars. Two other defendants who helped Wallin sell meth in Connecticut were also convicted in the case. Kenneth DeVries of Waterbury got stuck with more than two years of time and Michael Nelson of Manchester is waiting for his sentencing.
Day of Judgment
Falling into drug addiction may be something an individual doesn’t have full control over, but choosing to buy and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of meth—and then acquire the “Land of Oz & Dorothy’s Place” adult video and sex toy shop to launder the profits—is an entirely different, and very calculated, matter.
There’s no reason any judge should go easy on the priest just because he put in a bunch of time working on behalf of others. If justice is served, Monsignor Meth won’t be listening to confessions any time soon.
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