HARTFORD — A suspended Roman Catholic priest who authorities say dealt pounds of methamphetamine on both coasts and bought a sex shop to possibly launder his more-than $300,000 of drug money is asking a federal judge for leniency when he is sentenced next week.
Monsignor Kevin Wallin’s public defender filed a sentencing request in federal court in Hartford on Monday. It cited Wallin’s three decades of charitable service as well as more than 80 letters of support, including one from the late Cardinal Edward Egan.
The Waterbury resident was the monsignor at St. Augustine’s Parish in Bridgeport. Before that he was a secretary to several bishops. He spent nine years as a priest at St. Augustine’s, but in 2011 the diocese granted him a health sabbatical. The following year his public minitry was suspended.
The 63-year-old Wallin pleaded guilty in 2013 to a methamphetamine conspiracy charge and agreed to a possible prison sentence of 10 to 11 years. Sentencing is scheduled for March 24.
Wallin is now asking for four years in prison and 500 hours of community service.
Prosecutors want at least a 10-year prison sentence.
