Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

OC Couple Accused Of Shipping Meth To Connecticut Priest Who Laundered Money Through Sex Shop

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

A meth ring that headed up by the now-infamous "Monsignor Meth" in Connecticut got its supply from a couple in Orange County.

Msgr. Kevin Wallin of Connecticut was arrested on suspicion of selling meth and laundering money through a sex shop that he purchased not long after he resigned from the priesthood two years ago, according to the New York Daily News. A federal indictment with conspiracy to distribute meth also named Chad McCluskey, 43, of San Clemente and Kristen Laschober, 47, of Laguna Nigel, as well as Wallin and two other men in Connecticut.

The OC couple allegedly shipped meth across the country six times between September and January. The OC Weekly notes that McCluskey describes himself in his social media profiles as working in "global distribution" for Pure Chip and describes his girlfriend Laschober as a "wardrobe consultant." They look like any other couple from coastal Orange County. The pair were arrested in Las Vegas on January 10—a week after Wallin. The U.S. Attorney's office said Wallin sold meth to undercover officers six times.

Most of the seedy details about the meth ring are on the Connecticut side. The Roman Catholic Diocese says that there's no evidence that Wallin was selling drugs while he was a priest, but they did not approve of his alleged cross-dressing and his having sex in the rectory.

Support for LAist comes from

Related:
"Monsignor Meth": Connecticut Priest Arrested In Meth Ring

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist