Former Fox 13 Anchorman Pleads Guilty To Child Sexual Abuse (Memphis)

Memphis Commercial Appeal ^ | November 16, 2006 | Bartholomew Sullivan

[mcg2000]

Former Fox 13 anchorman Ron Meroney pleaded guilty in Maryland this morning to child sexual abuse and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but the judge suspended all but 18 months, which Meroney will serve under electronic monitoring when he returns to his Arlington, Tenn., home.

Meroney, a minister and former host of Fox's "Good Morning, Memphis" show, had been indicted on a charge of statutory rape last December stemming from an incident in 1974 involving a 4-year-old girl.

He was ordered to register as a child sex offender and was told to have no unsupervised contact with minor children and to enroll in a state-approved sex offender program.

Meroney was at Fox 13 since December 1995 after running a radio station near St. Petersburg, Fla., that played pop-style Christian music. In the late 1950s, he replaced well-known TV personality Wink Martindale on Channel 13's "Top Ten Dance Party."

According to court records in Towson, Md., near Baltimore, seven criminal charges were filed against Meroney in July 1984 that included child sexual abuse, assault and rape.

All were dismissed a month later with the exception of a charge of third-degree sexual offense in which he was given probation before judgment, a resolution in which a defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty but with the final judgment technically suspended. The case can be expunged after a specified period of good behavior.

Third-degree sexual offense involves someone at least age 21 who engages in a sexual act with someone age 14 or 15.

[gidget7]

WHat does his profession have to do with it? I would think this is a wake up call for all denominations to do what the Catholic Church is doing. And get rid of all these preying lunatics!

[little jeremiah]

Later beyond vile ping.

Judge should receive the same punishment the pervert slime outght to be receiving.

[dk/coro]

It seems to me that the "man of the cloth" aspect of the case once again cries out for addressal:

More sand more of these so-called religious leaders of ours seem to have a penchant for dabbling in ponds not within their own domicile.

And, in far too many instances with under-aged participants/victims.

This leads me to question the overall character pool of the potential professionals in the ministerial field of endeavor.

As far as I am concerned these guys fall into the same category as teachers and social workers, etc...


In far too many cases these individuals are the leftovers from within the particular initial job-placement year-group; in many cases unable to compete for, land and hold a job in the hardboiled marketplace. Thus, a sense of insecurity, bitterness and social disconnect.

A perfect nurturing environment for miscreants of all stripes -- especially sexual deviates. So easy to hide and hone their skills...and often in unsupervised interactions with their potential victims.

Needless to say, I view men of the cloth and educators with a cautious eye, until my quiet suspicions are individually allayed.

[BreitbartSentMe]

OK, that's beyond gross, and hiding it behind the term 'statutory rape' is pathetic reporting, as far as I'm concerned.

[Recall]

He was an anchorman in Memphis..everybody here knows who he is. I don't think people around here are as liberal as the judge who sentenced him.

I'm wondering if anyone around here might have issues regarding him having been around their children. It could get lively.

[gidget7]

Perhaps a call to all denominations to mandate what used to be (may still be) the case with doctors. No close contact with any child without an (aide?) in the room. Could be a layperson in the case of churches. But seems to be that kind of policy would help weed out these creeps, and protect those who might be abused.