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Former Talk Show Host Becomes Registered Sex Offender

Matthews Must Register As Sex Offender, Receives 7 Years Probation

POSTED: Monday, August 2, 2004
UPDATED: 5:48 pm CDT August 2, 2004

A former Houston radio personality, who pleaded guilty to indecency with a child in June, learned his punishment Monday.

Video

A Fort Bend County judge accepted former conservative talk show host Jon Matthews' guilty plea, making him a registered sex offender.

Matthews was indicted in November for exposing himself to an 11-year-old girl in his Sugar Land neighborhood.

The girl told officials she went to Matthews' home last October to play with his new puppy. He allegedly answered the door in his underwear, and asked her if she would like him to put on shorts, according to court records. He did, but later pulled the shorts and underwear down in front of the girl, and stroked her thigh and buttocks, prosecutors said. The girl was able to identify a scar on Matthews' private area.

The plea deal, arranged between Matthews and prosecutors, will keep him out of prison, but on probation for seven years.

Restrictions for Matthews' probation include:

  • to register as a sex offender
  • to have no contact with the victim or any other children
  • to keep at least 1,000 feet away from schools, playgrounds and any other place children gather
  • to perform 160 hours of community service

Under deferred adjudication, Matthews' record will be cleared if he successfully completes his probation. But he will have to remain a registered sex offender for another 10 years.

The victim's father read a statement about how his family had been hurt.

"John, it is simply inexcusable for what you've done to bring our families here today. I cannot imagine what you were thinking when this happened. She is only a child, just turned 11 years old -- just a child," the girl's father said.

"His actions were reprehensible. He betrayed the trust of a little girl and a family who trusted him," said Suzy Morton, the Fort Bend County prosecutor.

Jon Matthews

After his court appearance, Matthews apologized for his actions.

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

Matthews will have to submit a formal letter of apology within 30 days.

He also had his attorney read a statement that said the court system is not based on justice, but on quotas, with conviction as the only scorecard.

"I'm really not able to say anything right now," Matthews said. "At some point in the future, there will be an opportunity."

Matthews resigned from KSEV AM shortly after the indictment.

Police records show there is evidence of another case against Matthews involving sexual offense of a child that was not prosecuted.

Another neighbor, now an adult, told Sugar Land police that Matthews fondled and exposed himself to her in 1986, when she was 12 years old, News2Houston reported.

The girl's mother reported it to Sugar Land police. She said police did not feel there was enough evidence to pursue it, so Matthews was not charged.

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