EASTON — A Roman Catholic priest and former confidant of the royal family of Monaco was sentenced Monday to more than three years in prison for accessing a trove of thousands of pornographic images of children.
The 37-month prison term that Smith imposed marked a stunning downfall for a priest who across his varied career had served as principal at the Salesianum School, a Catholic high school in Wilmington, Del., and as a U.S. Navy chaplain delivering last rites to 9/11 victims at the Pentagon and eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant commander — all before the Oblates dispatched him to his prestigious posting in Monaco’s royal court.
He was reportedly among those at her bedside when she gave birth to the couple’s twins in 2014 and attended their baptism, along with the nation’s then-archbishop, Bernard Barsi. Investigators in the European nation transferred evidence to federal authorities here, and within the year agents had raided McCandless’ quarters at his new posting at DeSales University, an Oblate-affiliated school in Lehigh County.
Though McCandless would eventually plead guilty to one count of accessing child pornography tied to the evidence unearthed at his office on the college campus, he continues to deny that the illicit photos discovered in Monaco were his. His attorney, Michael J. Diamondstein, has repeatedly questioned how much U.S. authorities relied on the earlier probe conducted by Monégasque investigators — one he has suggested was politically motivated.
Where are the laws to protect children from these people? I would never take a child to church.
A catholic priest you say? Here’s my shocked face 🙄
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