BishopAccountability.org
	Former Pastor Busted in Sting Paul Marmon Accused of Soliciting Sex Online from 15-Year-Old By JD Malone The Express-Times September 13, 2008 http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1221278739249370.xml&coll=3 A retired pastor from South Whitehall Township was arrested Sept. 2 in Montgomery County for propositioning a 15-year-old girl on the Internet, the state attorney general's office said Friday. Paul A. Marmon, 62, of the 1800 block of Molinaro Drive, cultivated a relationship with the girl through instant message chat sessions -- Marmon's screen name was "allentownhotguy" -- in which he allegedly said he was 19 and that his last name was Mason. He frequently spoke of his lewd desires, according to court documents. "Hug and touch yourself as much as you can for me," Marmon typed in one message sent in June, the court papers say. Police said Marmon was well aware of the girl's age. "You are so much more mature than most people think you or the average 15-year-old girl is," Marmon wrote, according to court papers. Marmon, who was pastor at St. James United Church of Christ on 15th Street in Allentown, also allegedly spoke of getting married, having sex, and during one three-hour chat on Aug. 25-26, he explained to the girl how to masturbate. Police said the conversations began in March and ran through the beginning of September, though in the last three weeks of communication, beginning Aug. 18, Marmon didn't know he was typing his love lines to a special agent in the Office of the Attorney General. Marmon also mentioned his "sister" Amy in several chats. Amy was supposed to deliver packages to a park near the girl's home and in chats appeared to be Marmon's confidant about his relationship with the girl. According to the attorney general's office, Amy is one of Marmon's adult daughters, but she had nothing to do with the alleged crimes. "Our belief is that the family had no idea. We believe the deliveries were by Mr. Marmon," attorney general spokesman Nils Frederiksen said. "The investigation is still ongoing." Frederiksen refused to identify the church where Marmon served as pastor. But a man who answered the phone at St. James United Church of Christ on Friday evening confirmed Marmon was pastor there in the 1980s. A message left at Marmon's home Friday was not returned. Police said they nabbed Marmon on Sept. 2 after he allegedly picked up a green bag with a pair of panties inside that police left at the aforementioned park. Police wrote in the underwear, "I (heart symbol) Mr. Mason," according to court documents. Marmon was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, unlawful contact with a minor/sexual abuse, corruption of a minor and criminal use of communication. He was sent to Montgomery County Prison in lieu of $1 million bail. Reporter JD Malone can be reached at 610-867-5000 or by e-mail at jdmalone@express-times.com .
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.