Kenai man indicted for sex crimes during time as church leader
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On Oct. 30, a Kenai grand jury indicted 45-year-old Aaron “Scott” Merritt on multiple counts, charging him with sexually abusing four girls between the ages of 5 and 14 who were congregants of Kenai’s Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
According to the Alaska Dept. of Law, the sexual abuse took place over a four-year period between 1998 and 2002 when Merritt served as a “Ministerial Servant” in the church.
Merritt was charged with six counts of sexual assault in the first degree, one count of sexual assault in the second degree, four counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree, eight counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree.
Initially there was one instance of abuse reported to the Kenai Police Department in 2002, however, investigators were unable to compile sufficient evidence to support prosecution at that time.
Since then, new information and evidence, including additional victim reports, led to the case being reopened and investigated by the Kenai Police Department in 2021.
The Department of Law’s Office of Special Prosecutions presented the case to the grand jury.
“This arrest is the result of persistence and determination by our investigators,” said David Ross of the Kenai Police Department. “Even after two decades, we remain committed to pursuing justice and holding individuals accountable for their actions – no matter how much time has passed.”
The Kenai Police Department expressed sincere gratitude to the victims for their patience, strength, and willingness to come forward even decades later.
“Their courage in sharing their stories was instrumental in this case,” the department noted.
If convicted at trial, Merrit faces a maximum sentence of up to 99 years of imprisonment. He was arrested on Oct. 30 and will be arraigned on Monday, Nov. 3.
Content retrieved from: https://alaskawatchman.com/2025/10/31/kenai-man-indicted-for-sex-crimes-during-time-as-church-leader/.
