PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A former Chester County priest was sentenced Friday for stealing more than $30,000 from his church and spending it on things like his shore house and Grindr relationships.
Joseph McLoone, 58, pleaded guilty to the theft charges and was sentenced to five years of probation.
Prosecutors said he used the money, which was donated to the church, to pad his salary and pay for his own food, travel and other personal uses — including his Ocean City beach house. He also used the money to pay for men he was having sexual relationships with, who he met on the dating app Grindr.
McLoone served as the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown for seven years, starting in 2011. He has been on administrative leave since 2018, when the parish first discovered the theft.
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According to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, the stolen money came from a special fund collected from fees and during mass to benefit parish weddings and funerals.
McLoone was initially accused of stealing nearly $100,000 from the church, but he reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
“Given the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility for his illegal activity, the agreement of the parish and archdiocese, and his intention to make restitution to the church, we believe this was a reasonable resolution,” District Attorney Deb Ryan said in a statement.
The first nine months of McLoone’s sentence will be under house arrest.
Ken Gavin, an archdiocese spokesperson, said its leaders “are grateful for the resolution in this matter along with the closure and healing it brings.” He also noted that the required canonical investigation of McLoone — which had been on hold while the legal process played out — would now begin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.