Jon Matthews sentenced for indecency with child

01:09 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 3, 2004

From 11 News Staff Reports

Click to watch Carolyn Mungo's report

ROSENBERG – Conservative talk show host Jon Matthews was sentenced to seven years deferred adjudication Monday after pleading guilty in June to one count of indecency with a child.

KHOU-TV Jon Matthews listened as his attorney read a statement following the sentencing.

Prosecutors accused the 59-year-old Sugar Land man of exposing himself to a neighbor girl in his own home on Oct. 9, 2003.

Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healy said Matthews exposed his genitals to the child, a third-degree felony, but did not touch the child.

The victim's father read a statement in court Monday.

"I cannot imagine what you were thinking when this happened," he said. "She's only a child, just turned 11 years old, just a child. We raised her to be cautious of strangers and to always run to family and friends when in danger. You exploited that trust and love."

"To anyone who I have caused emotional distress, I would apologize," said Matthews after the hearing.

Matthews was also ordered to: register as a sex offender; get sex offender counseling; get counseling for depression; stay away from areas where children gather; stop drinking and make a donation to Crime Stoppers.

Matthews agreed to move out of his apartment complex.

"One of their main concerns was, because Mr. Matthews was a neighbor, that he not live in their neighborhood anymore and Mr. Matthews did comply with that request and has moved out of his home," said prosecutor Suzy Morton.

Matthews record will be wiped clean if he meets all of the requirements of his sentence.

After the hearing, Matthews' attorney read a statement thanking his supporters during "this literal nightmare that has consumed our lives."

"That support has given us the strength to go through this indescribeably difficult ordeal," Matthews' statement said. "To the complainant and her parents, I again apologize."

Matthews also slammed the justice system saying "It is a quota justice system where conviction is the only scorecard." That statement and others led some to believe Matthews believes he did nothing wrong.

"His actions were reprehensible," argued Morton. "He betrayed the trust of a little girl and a family who trusted him."

"You know even the accusation of this sort of thing destroys a person," Matthews said. "They can never recover."

If Matthews violates any of the terms of his sentence, he will be sentenced to prison for 10 years and fined $10,000.

Matthews made a name for himself most recently as a conservative talk show host for KSEV radio. He resigned from the station after the allegations were made public.

Matthews and his wife Carolyn have two sons and live in Sugar Land.