An Italian priest was sentenced Thursday to three and a half years in jail for possessing cocaine with the intention of selling it, according to local media.The ANSA news agency reported that Father Stefano Ciacca, 44, was arrested last September in possession of half a kilogramme (about a pound) of cocaine with a street value of about half a million euros (675,000 dollars).
A police dog had detected the drug in a package mailed from South America and addressed to a certain Don Ziliotti in Perugia.
After some sleuthing, police identified Ciacca, arrested him and searched his home, where they found a small scale, substances to cut with the cocaine and some marijuana, ANSA said.
The priest claimed to be unaware of the contents of the package, which he said was given to him by someone he was helping "on a spiritual path."
On Thursday, Judge Paolo Micheli sentenced both Ciacca and an accomplice to three and a half years in jail.
ANSA said the two men had gone to Colombia last year and used Ciacca's savings to buy the cocaine, which they mailed to Italy.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce