Who is Philip Samuel Mercon? Texas Army veteran molested 12-year-old stepdaughter, had sex with neighbor's dog
BELLMEAD, TEXAS: An Army veteran has been awarded 14 years in prison for molesting a 12-year-old girl and having sex with a dog. Philip Samuel Mercon, who suffered from PTSD, was sentenced on Thursday, March 18, after he pleaded guilty to three counts of indecency with a child by contact and one count of bestiality in a plea agreement with the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.
His plea deal was approved by Judge Susan Kelly of 54th State District Court, who then gave him three concurrent 14-year prison terms on the indecency counts and two years in a state jail facility on the bestiality charge. All the sentences will reportedly run parallelly with his state prison time.
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An arrest affidavit stated that Mercon confessed to the police that he was sexually attracted to the minor girl, who was reportedly his stepdaughter, and called the molestation “tickling” which he carried out at his Bellmead home for over a six-month period. The 30-year-old, who served three years in the Army including a tour of duty in Afghanistan, was pressed with bestiality, evading arrest and criminal trespass charges three years ago after he was found assaulting his neighbor's dog, described as mixed breed and medium size. A year later in 2019, he pleaded guilty to the bestiality charge while to get a recommendation from the DA’s office that he will be put on deferred probation for five years in return.
Mercon’s arrest related to child molestation came in 2020. His attorney, Phil Martinez, claimed that the veteran has been treated at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for service-related trauma. He added, “He indicated that he would take full responsibility for his actions. He didn’t want to go through a trial process because he had already admitted that he did something inappropriate and he is just hoping that he can eventually put this behind him, do his time and get back out.” Also, it has been said Mercon needs to serve at least seven years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
In another incident, an elderly Texas man who molested a six-year-old girl was given 20 days in jail as part of the terms of his probation. The sentencing came after the 80-year-old William Wiltse pled guilty to two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact as well as two counts of indecency with a child by exposure.
He had twice undressed the child and touched her in 2013. Giving her testimony to the court, the youngster said Wiltse used to get her out of bed, take her to the bathroom and make her take her clothes off before touching her inappropriately. The molester was also asked by the court to pay $3,965 in fines and court costs, banned from owning a gun or ammunition, and ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service. The man has also been barred from contacting any kids under 18 without prior approval. Reports said if Wiltse successfully completes his term of deferred-adjudication probation, he can avoid a conviction on his record.