Priest Caught With Pot Gets No Jail Time
- October 30, 2008
Father James Edward OConner
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A South Charleston priest and a former drug counselor have avoided jail time and were each ordered to pay about $260 after being caught with marijuana last month.
Father James Edward O’Connor and Michael Deegan were arrested in South Charleston on Sunday, Sept. 29, about 10:35 p.m. after a police officer traveling behind them smelled the drug wafting from their vehicle.
Both were charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Possessing more than 15 grams of marijuana is considered a felony.
A search of the car driven by O’Connor turned up 73 grams of marijuana, according to the police report. Deegan also had another 10 grams on him.
Later, police searched Deegan’s vehicle with the help of a K-9 and discovered 152 grams of marijuana there.
This past Friday, O’Connor and Deegan each pleaded guilty before Magistrate Ward Harshbarger and in exchange prosecutors agreed to dismiss the felony charges against them. They were each given 180 days to pay a $100 fine plus $159.53 in court costs apiece.
Both men had faced a possible one to five year prison sentence for the felony charges.
O’Connor, 58, was the priest at Blessed Sacrament Church since 2006 and was removed from his position by the Diocese following his arrest. Deegan, 59, is a member of the church and a well-known substance abuse counselor.
Deegan is a former clinical coordinator for SouthWay Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center at Thomas Hospital and was president of the West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.
Members of the community and church congregation were astounded by the arrests. O’Connor has made no public comment about the incident. Deegan apologized, saying he made a mistake and was trying to cope.
People in the congregation expressed both shock and concern for the priest, who they called “talented” and “wonderful for the parish.”
Meanwhile, the Rev. John H. Finnell will permanently replace O’Connor by Nov. 5, according to church officials. Finnell is currently priest at St. Matthew Church in Ravenswood.
He said he is prepared to help the church heal after O’Connor’s arrest, and believes God can turn terrible events into something good.
Cited From:
http://www.dailymail.com/News/200810300180
