From PORTLAND PRESS HERALD:
The Rev. Stephen Foote, a priest who has served in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine for more than a quarter-century, has been charged with delivering drugs to two jail inmates at the Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset. Charged with attempted trafficking in prison contraband are inmates Joshua Theriault-Patten, 25, of Bremen and Adam Shawley, 27, of Newport. All three were arrested Nov. 1 on charges that they trafficked in suboxone, a synthetic opiate that typically is used to ease symptoms of opiate withdrawal but can be abused.
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| The Reverend Stephen Foote Notice the trendy cannabis leaf design embroidered onto his stole |
Foote is charged with a Class C crime, punishable by as much as five years in jail and a $5,000 fine. He has admitted to trafficking drugs but thought he was doing Theriault-Patten a favor. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he thought he was helping him.
It will probably turn out that I am being naive and too trusting but I think I believe the old priest.
Anyway, in a way it's quite cool. Whilst the Roman Catholics are concentrating on child abuse and the evangelicals have pretty much cornered the market when it comes to financial impropriety, the Episcopalians are breaking into the drug smuggling racket. Could be worse. Don't bogart that joint, vicar!
Diocese of Maine . . . well, that’s no surprise. A Maine priest friend of mine was given a joint as an ordination gift.
Hey in the Winter, what else is there in Maine?
FWIW
jimB
I confess that I regularly possess and use large quantities of caffeine. However while I have never trafficked in it I have been on it in traffic.
Driving whilst under the influence of Nescafe!
Hanging’s too good for you, Deacon Charlie.
It is completely believable that users and abusers can convince another that they need “help.”
I, too, am reserving judgment. He may be an idiot, suffer from an excess of compassion, or both.
I know the man, and suspect he suffers from an excess of compassion. He came out publicly, back when that was not an easy thing to do. I can’t imagine him ever smoking a joint. He probably was convinced the guy needed the stuff due to withdrawal. He’s done a lot of good in his life, and now it’s all but forgotten.
I know the man as well, and he is a fine person and he really has done a lot of good in the diocese. This was, however, poor judgement on his part, no matter what good he was trying to do.