John Balyo's "Double Life': Former Christian Radio Host Sentenced Today for Child Sex Assault
By John Agar
Former Christian radio host John Balyo will find out Thursday, Dec. 11, if he stands a chance of ever leaving prison when he’s sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. The investigation has uncovered disturbing details of a double life led by the former morning host at WCSG, a Christian station operated by Cornerstone University. Beyond the sexual assaults, Balyo, 35, who was married a short time before his arrest last summer, kept photos of himself pointing a handgun at a boy-size, anatomically correct mannequin, masturbating, then wrapping the mannequin in a carpet or tarp, as if preparing to bury it.
Police also found a “bondage kit” in his storage locker. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessa Hessmiller called Balyo a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Balyo, who is serving 25 to 50 years in state prison for molesting a boy in May at a Battle Creek hotel, pleaded guilty to federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child, which carries a 30-year maximum, and possession of child pornography, with a 20-year maximum, related to the sexual assault of a child at a Kalamazoo hotel. Hessmiller has asked U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell to order consecutive sentences to essentially lock him up the rest of his life. He has been held since his June 20 arrest at Big Ticket Festival in Gaylord, one of the country’s largest Christian music celebrations. Defense attorney David Dodge has filed a sentencing memorandum on behalf of Balyo, but it is available only to the court and attorneys. He has filed a request for a downward variance in federal advisory sentencing guidelines and also provided letters supporting his client. Those documents were also filed with restricted access. The prosecution’s memorandum is public. “Balyo operated under the radar, living a double life,” Hessmiller wrote last month. “On the outside, he was a law-abiding, charitable, upstanding citizen. He was able to gain people’s trust, leading no one to suspect that anything was amiss. But underneath the surface, he was feeding a morbid and sadistic fascination with children, creating and accumulating pedophilic materials, rehearsing a sexual kidnapping fantasy with a gun and a child-size mannequin, and meeting clandestinely in hotel rooms with young boys in bondage.” Balyo’s arrest came after an online meeting with Battle Creek resident Ronald Moser, who set up the assaults of the boy. Moser was considered a trusted friend of the victim’s family. Moser will be sentenced next week. He posted on a private website, “Looking for people in or around michigan that r in to kids (sic). Balyo responded, “Yeah! Saw your album and request for anyone from Michigan into kids :) I am that person! Lol,” records showed. During the hotel visits, Balyo paid for the hotel, shot pornographic photos and engaged in sex acts with the boy, the prosecution said. jagar@mlive.com
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