It was late Friday evening when Pocono Mountain Regional Police received an incriminating call from Rev. Gregory Loughney. “I made a mistake, and I need to report myself,” Rev. Loughney said in the call.
Rev. Loughney placed the call after he was confronted by an adult man who posed as a 15-year-old to catch, expose, and report the priest.
Sources say Rev. Loughney arrived at a gas station in Pennsylvania to have a three-way with two teenage boys. Rev. Loughney was arrested and charged with attempted sexual assault of minors, corruption of minors, indecent assault, and criminal use of a cell phone.
According to the police, the priest was going to take the boys back to his house. Shortly after Rev. Loughney’s arrest, the Diocese of Scranton announced that Loughney was removed from active ministry “pending the outcome of the investigation.”
Factual Background
According to news reports, the Rev. Gregory Loughney met one of the minors, “Cyrus,” on a dating app. The priest texted sexually explicit messages and pictures, believing Cyrus was a minor. Cyrus was actually an adult member of 507 Predator Catchers, a group that poses as minors to catch predators.
Believing Cyrus was having a hard time, Rev. Loughney invited the boy and his friend over to his place for dinner and cookies.
Rev. Loughney’s Career and Whereabouts
Ordained in 2015, Rev. Gregory Loughney was a pastor at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Cresco, Monroe County when he was arrested. The Diocese of Scranton says it informed Rev. Loughney’s past assignments of his arrest.
Rev. Loughney is currently being held at Monroe County Prison, awaiting his preliminary hearing.
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