A Tarentum man who is a registered sex offender was charged by Allegheny County Police detectives with multiple felony counts after being accused of repeatedly sending text messages and photos to a 12-year-old and fondling the child.
Scott James Mellon, 41, of the 500 block of Second Avenue was charged with two felony counts of indecent assault along with felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, dissemination of pornography to minors, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communications facility. He also faces a misdemeanor count of indecent exposure.
Detectives wrote in Mellon’s arrest papers that they witnessed a forensic interview during which the child told investigators that Mellon first touched them during the summer and then sent a text message to apologize.
The child told authorities that on another occasion, Mellon sent a text message saying he wanted to see the child naked, according to a criminal complaint.
Mellon also is accused of sending the child a photo of him exposing himself, according to the complaint. The child said Mellon apologized after sending the text and photograph, the complaint said.
The child also reported another incident in which Mellon exposed himself and said, “I’m not embarrassed if you’re not,” the complaint said.
The child told investigators that Mellon made comments about the child’s body after seeing photographs, the complaint said.
Mellon was being detained in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 cash bond. He faces a preliminary hearing Feb. 15 before District Judge Carolyn Bengel, according to court records.
In September 2020, Mellon pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault of a child under the age of 13 filed by Allegheny County Police and was sentenced to three years of probation, according to court records.
He was ordered to stand trial on two additional indecent assault charges filed by the county detectives. That trial has not yet take place.
After pleading guilty to the sex charge, Mellon was ordered to register with the state’s sex offender database, or Megan’s Law list.
The incidents that resulted in his guilty plea and inclusion on the sex offender registry allegedly took place in August 2004, according to investigators.
