Jury Recommends Life Sentence for Child Sex Criminal

Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 8:05 AM

Photo courtesy Branson Tri-Lakes News and Taney County Sheriff's Office

A man accused of being a child sex predator has been found guilty in Taney County Court of 10 charges.

David Meaders, 68, will be spending the rest of his life in prison following the convictions on the charges according to a report in the Branson Tri-Lakes News.

The evidence showed Meaders carried out the attacks upon his victims between 1996 and 2012.

Prosecutors had asked the jury to send Meaders to prison for life, while defense attorney Joseph Allen argued for mercy, stating a minimum sentence on the most serious charges would still be essentially a life sentence because of Meaders’ age.

Taney County Presiding Judge Jeffrey Merrell will announce the sentencing decision on December 13 and whether the sentences will run consecutively or concurrently.

Meaders will continue to be held in the Taney County Jail until formal sentencing.

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