Kevin Gugliotta is rare enough as a poker player and Catholic priest. But the anomoly was arrested last week and charged with 40 counts related to child pornography, making him persona non grata at either of his callings.
The 54-year old Totowa, New Jersey resident also holds residency in Pennsylvania, where he will face charges once he is extradited from New Jersey. Prosecutors claim the alleged incidents took place July 9. An extradition date hasn’t been announced.
According to Monroe County prosecutors, Gugliotta uploaded images of child pornography to an internet chat room. The investigation began August 9, after detectives were given information about the alleged incident. Police say images numerous images of child pornography appeared on the same internet protocol (IP) address.
Investigators tracked the IP to Gugliotta and searched his home on September 29. The poker player wasn’t home at the time, but police discovered he was a priest at the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church in New Jersey. We say “was” because he no longer is. The church immediately stripped him of his position following the arrest.
“We have removed Gugliotta from ministry the day we found out about the expected charges earlier this month,” Jim Goodness, a communications director for the archdiocese, told USA Today.
Successful Poker Player
Gugliotta has an impressive tournament resume. He has accumulated more than $200,000 in lifetime live tournament winnings.
That includes a $15,885 score for 4th place in an event at The Commerce Poker Series in Los Angeles a month after police began investigating him. His biggest win came in 2006 at the L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino for $29,446 (5th place). He doesn’t have any WSOP cashes, other than a 39th place finish in a 2015 Circuit event in Los Angeles.
Life of a Priest
Gugliotta doesn’t spend all his time playing cards. According to his LinkedIn profile, he was previously a priest at the Church of Immaculate Conception, a church in Mahwah, New Jersey. He then moved over to Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church.
In 2015, he received his Ed.D. from Creighton University in Omaha in interdisciplinary leadership. By all accounts, he was well-respected within the community.
If he doesn’t beat the felony charges, repairing his image will be the least of his worries. Prosecutors haven’t said the sentence he will be facing. But it’s safe to assume, if convicted, the priest won’t be heading over to his local casino to play poker any time soon.
