Christian Radio Host Arrested in Gaylord on Child Sex Charges

By Bob Brenzing
Detroit Free press
June 23, 2014

http://www.freep.com/article/20140623/NEWS06/306230105

WCSG Radio announced Saturday that it has fired personality John Balyo after the 35-year old Caledonia resident was arrested Friday on child sex charges.

Cornerstone University released this statement Saturday: “Effective today, John Balyo is no longer affiliated with WCSG Radio. Chris Lemke, general manager of WCSG-FM, will address this matter on-air at 7:30 am during Monday’s (June 23) WCSG morning show.”

Balyo was arrested on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

He was arrested around 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Big Ticket Festival, a Christian music gathering near Gaylord. The arrest was made by officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Michigan State Police and the Battle Creek Police Department.

John Balyo was arrested on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He has been fired from WCSG-AM, a Christian radio station in northern Michigan. / facebook.com/wcsgradio

Authorities say Balyo allegedly paid another person, who is a defendant in another child exploitation case, to arrange for sexual encounters with minor victims. Further details are being withheld until Balyo appears in court.

Authorities say the investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators.

As Cooley Law professor and human trafficking expert Chris Johnson explains it, Balyo is accused of being a customer.

“I think the terminology would be a ‘john’ -- that in itself is not going to be human trafficking,” Johnson said. “The person he went to in order to secure the child would be the one who would be guilty of human trafficking.”

Federal and state agents say that person is 41-year-old Ronald Lee Moser of Battle Creek. He ran a website offering paying customers sex with underage boys.

Earlier this month when police raided Moser’s home, they say they found him with a 12-year-old boy and confiscated child pornography.

Johnson says pimps with prostitutes who are underage are not uncommon.

“Many times when you do have a brothel that’s raided, you do end up finding child victims, unfortunately, that are involved in the commercial sex trade...according to the Department of Justice, the average age a person enters prostitution in the United States is between the age of 11 and 13 years old, so there is quite a prevalence of people who have sexual appetites with children.”

Balyo was just married in April. Agents searched his home Friday in Caledonia, in addition to arresting Balyo in Gaylord. They don’t say at this point if they found any incriminating evidence.

WCSG general manager Chris Lemke released the following statement Friday afternoon: “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the arrest and allegations against John Balyo, WCSG morning radio host. He has been put on indefinite paid administrative leave pending further investigation and the legal process. Our thoughts and prayers are with those involved in the investigation.”

Below is a news release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department:

HSI arrests gospel radio DJ on criminal sexual conduct charges

GAYLORD, Mich. - A Caladonia man was arrested Friday on state charges of criminal sexual conduct following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children.

HSI special agents and officers with the Michigan State Police and Battle Creek Police Department arrested John Baylo, 35, Friday, without incident on state charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Baylo is an on-air personality at Grand Rapid’s Family Christian Radio station, WCSG.

According to the investigation, Baylo allegedly paid a defendant, who is the subject of a separate HSI child-exploitation investigation, to arrange sexual encounters with minor victims. Further details about the investigation are being withheld pending the defendant’s appearance in court to answer to the charges.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.