By Jane Smith
06/03/08
June 02, 2008 10:46 pm
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A suspended United Methodist minister from Conneautville faces a possible 28 years in prison and $60,000 in fines after pleading guilty Monday to four counts involving Internet pornography charges.
Charges stemmed from incidents earlier this year when the Rev. Steven Richard McGuigan exposed himself via a Web camera to an undercover agent with the state’s attorney general. McGuigan believed the agent was a teenage girl.
McGuigan, 39, of 905 Washington St., pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful contact with minors and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility (a computer). He was arrested March 5 by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
McGuigan was pastor of both Valley United Methodist Church in Conneautville and Hickernell United Methodist Church since November 2004. He also served as district youth leader for the Erie-Meadville district of the United Methodist Church. He was suspended from his ministerial duties following his arrest.
William F. Caye II of the AG’s office told Crawford County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Gordon R. Miller that McGuigan had presented himself to the agent (via the Internet), who pretended to be a minor.
He said McGuigan used the computer between Dec. 10, 2007, and Jan. 22, 2008, exposing himself. All four counts are felonies of the third degree and carry maximum sentences of seven years on each count and $15,000 bond.
When the judge asked McGuigan if he understood the maximum sentence he could face, the defendant answered “yes, sir.”
As part of the plea bargain, the AG’s office is recommending a fine and a standard-range sentence, which calls for restrictive supervision to nine months in jail. There was no recommendation about whether the sentences could run concurrently.
The plea almost didn’t happen after McGuigan told the judge that the AG’s agents didn’t read him his Miranda rights at the time of his arrest, but “handed me a piece of paper.” Miranda rights refer to advising a defendant of such things as the right to have a lawyer present and the right to remain silent.
McGuigan said he didn’t know what he was being charged with until he was put in the police car. He said he made no confession, but answered questions during interrogation. After further questioning by the judge, McGuigan was hesitant about entering his plea.
“I will withdraw the plea,” said Caye. “If he wants to go to trial, we will go to trial.”
“Before I make a final decision, I want to talk with him,” said the defendant, referring to his defense attorney, Bruce Barrett.
Following a court recess, McGuigan and his attorney returned to court and McGuigan entered the guilty pleas without further hesitation.
Judge Miller then explained Megan’s Law to McGuigan, referring to a state law concerning sex offenders. McGuigan now will have an assessment to determine whether he is a sexually violent predator.
Since he has pleaded guilty to the above charges, McGuigan will be designated a sexual offender and subject to registration with police for 10 years to report his living addresses. After further assessment, if he is determined to be a sexually violent predator, he will be subject to a lifetime registration requirement.
Miller denied a motion by Barrett to reduce McGuigan’s bond from $10,000 to nominal. Barrett noted his client has been incarcerated since his arrest and there is no other forensic evidence of any future charges against him.
Miller rejected the appeal, saying the likelihood of somebody absconding is greater after a conviction. McGuigan will be sentenced at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 12. He was returned to Crawford County jail, Saegertown.
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