Priest Used Church Funds For Ocean City Beach House, Sex: DA

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A Pennsylvania pastor misused over $100,000 in church funds on an Ocean City vacation home and men with whom he had sexual relationships, according to officials.

Father Jason McLoone stole $98,405 from St. Joseph's Parish in Downington, Pennsylvania, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced. McLoone withdrew thousands of those dollars in Ocean City, where he has a vacation home, authorities said.

Overall, McLoone put more than $125,000 worth of church-donation checks into his own account over a six-year period, according to the CCDAO. He opened a secret account at TD Bank called the "St. Joseph's Activity Account" in 2011, the year he took over as pastor, authorities said.

The pastor stole all the checks and cash collected from the All Souls celebration each November, starting in 2011, officials said. Those donations totaled $39,543.

McLoone used diverted funds for his personal lifestyle, which included the beach house, travel, dining and spending on men with whom he had sexual relations, authorities said.

McLoone also gave himself a pay raise by doubling the amount he collected as a stipend for each mass, wedding and funeral at his church, officials said. The pastor admitted to meeting dozens of adult men using Grindr, according to the Washington Post. Grindr is a social-media app that allows for gay and bisexual men to meet up in person.

Authorities recovered some money from McLoone's account. McLoone was arrested Wednesday for theft by unlawful taking and related offenses, the CCDAO said. The bail was set at $50,000. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia placed McLoone on administrative leave after church leaders learned of his alleged secret accounts, the Diocese said.

McLoone began with the church in 2011 after the previous priest was indicted for covering up child-sex crimes by priests, according to Penn Live. Monsignor William Lynn was convicted of child endangerment in 2012, but he faces a retrial after appealing his conviction.

Anyone with further information on McLoone's case can contact Chester County Detective Bernard Martin at 610-344-6866.

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