OHIO: Catholic Priest Charged With Soliciting Prostitution While HIV-Positive

Cleveland police have arrested a Catholic priest for soliciting prostitution in a public park. Father James McGonegal later revealed that he is HIV-positive, which brings additional charges.

In the incident report released today, an off-duty Cleveland Metroparks ranger said McGonegal offered the ranger $50 to help him “get off,” then exposed himself and masturbated, all while sitting inside his late-model Jeep SUV. The report said McGonegal had three sex devices in his Jeep when he was arrested around 12:45 p.m. The priest, 68, was released on personal bond from Cleveland City Jail this morning other media reports said. He has not been arraigned as the charges were not filed until around noon. McGonegal has been pastor at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, at Lorain Avenue and West Boulevard, since the mid-1980s. He has been a priest since 1971. At a mass this evening at the church, the only mention of the incident was at the start when a lector greeted the 140 people in attendance and said, "Today we pray for this parish, and our pastor." A priest in residence at St. Ignatius said the mass.

McGonegal was also charged with possessing "abusive harmful intoxicants." Apparently, he had poppers with him.

NOTE: While the police claim that the arresting officer was "off-duty," this sounds like yet another gay sex sting. Read the full story.