And Now The Sob Story Begins: Las Vegas Priests Excuses For Stealing

Father Kevin McAuliffe, Las Vegas priest and thief is starting the PR campaign to get a lenient sentence when he is sentenced for theft is about 2 weeks.
From the LVRJ: When Kevin McAuliffe appears in federal court Jan. 13, the Catholic priest's addiction to gambling will be used as an argument for leniency in his sentencing for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his Summer­lin parish.
His attorney, Margaret Stanish, has hired an expert who will offer testimony about gambling and his assessment of McAuliffe as a pathological gambler. The expert, Dr. Timothy Fong, is a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and on the staff of UCLA's Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior. He treats problem gamblers with a combination of pharmacology and psychotherapy, trying to rewire brains that can't shake the feeling the next bet is going to yield a big payday.
According to court papers, Fong will tell Mahan that the former monsignor, in addition to being a pathological gambler, suffers from major depression and social anxiety.
Meanwhile, the priest hopes his case sheds light on problem gambling in Nevada -- and that people will get help before the disease takes command of their lives, as it did with his, according to McAuliffe's attorney.....
A WOLF IN PRIEST'S CLOTHING
McAuliffe, 58, was not forced to admit to major theft. He pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud, but theft is what he did, and he did it a lot: $650,000 worth.
According to court documents, he stole from the collection basket.
He stole from the votive candle fund.
He stole from the gift shop.
He stole from the church mission fund.
He stole from the general bank account and he wrongly reimbursed himself by claiming he made church-related purchases on his personal credit card when he did not.
Indirectly, McAuliffe stole from every church in the diocese. As second-in-command to Bishop Joseph Pepe, McAuliffe was responsible for controlling finances -- and for giving the diocese 13 percent of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton's annual income from the contributions and collections of its more than 10,000 families.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/catholic-priest-s-defense-to-target-gambling-136521993.html
I have no doubt that McAuliffe has a gambling addiction but I think the defense is pushing the other disabilities McAuliffe may have had.
But McAuliffe has been given a huge break, something most of us will never see. He was never charged with State crimes of theft, burglary and maybe even robbery. He could be easily facing life in prison if was convicted in the State court.
But he is charged in Federal court and he probably will serve his sentence in the minimum security prison in Oxford, WI., if he chooses to go back to Wisconsin.
McAuliffe is a thief first and a gambling addict second. McAuliffe is an educated man, he knows right from wrong and he knew where to get treatment.
He is also a good con man. There is no way he could have gotten away with these crimes if he didn't con a few people along the way.
McAuliffe should thank his lucky stars and his place in the community that he wasn't charged with more crimes and that he will be sent out of state to serve whatever sentence there is.

On a side note, one wonders if the Las Vegas Diocese isn't taking this case seriously. They still have his picture of the priest web site and there has been no word if McAuliffe has been defrocked. I suppose maybe they are hoping that McAuliffe will get a short sentence and then when he is released, they will send him to a monastery where he will stay out of trouble.