Thursday March 28th, 2024 11:21AM

Darragh: 30-year sentence imposed on violin teacher 'well deserved'

By B.J. Williams
An 87-year-old Clermont man, who worked as a violin teacher, has entered a guilty plea to to child molestation and other charges.
 
Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh confirmed that Leon Messerlian entered the plea on Friday, September 15 and received a sentence of 30 years with 10 to serve in custody and the rest on probation.
 
"Messerlian was a plague on the children of the community who was entrusted by parents to teach their children the violin, not to molest them.  His sentence is well deserved," Darragh said in an email statement. "This office will do all we can with the parole board  to ensure that the ten years in custody he received as part of his sentence is fully served in the event he should live to that age.”
 
Messerlian had been charged with nine counts of child molestation, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count each of attempt to commit aggravated sodomy an attempt to commit aggravated sexual battery.  Darragh said as a part of the negotiation, the last two charges were not prosecuted.  
 
Messerlian had been out of jail on bond, but he was taken into custody immediately following his sentencing on Friday, according to Darragh.  
 
He entered the plea in the Hall County Superior Court room of Judge Kathlene Gosselin. 

 

  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Local/State News
  • Associated Tags: child molestation, Lee Darragh, Leon Messerlian , Hall County Superior Court
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