2005-11-01 OREGON, PAYETTE - An Oregon State Police trooper pleaded guilty to trespassing Monday during a status conference at the Payette County Courthouse.
OSP trooper John Mereen, 33, Ontario, received a $225 fine, 10 days in jail suspended and 10 months of probation. Mereen was also ordered to attend anger management classes.
Mereen, who has been with OSP for about seven years, originally faced misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and unlawful entry.
?Domestic violence situations can be difficult,? Payette County Prosecuting Attorney Brian Lee said. ?And this is one of those types of cases that sometimes are a challenge to prosecute because of the victim's desire to see the case move forward. I think it is a necessary result.?
The charges stem from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of July 8 at the home of Brandy Mereen, the ex-wife of Mereen. According to a Payette Department of Public Safety report, Brandy Mereen had been at John Mereen's home - in Ontario - around 4 a.m., before an argument broke out and Brandy Mereen returned to her home at 2011 Decker Dr., Payette. The report indicates that Brandy Mereen heard someone entering the home through a window in her son's bedroom at approximately 4:45 a.m.
Brandy Mereen went to the room, and witnessed John Mereen climbing into the home through the window. An altercation broke out, when John Mereen began demanding a cell phone he believed his ex-wife seized from his residence. According to the report, after being told to leave the residence John Mereen grabbed Brandy Mereen by the outside of her arms and began to shake her. Shortly thereafter, John Mereen left the residence.
?It's really not so dissimilar from other domestic situations we deal with,? Lee said. ?This one received more attention because it involved a person that worked for the Oregon State Police.?
Following the July 8 incident, Mereen was put on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation by OSP.
According to Ontario Station Commander Lt. Rich Pileggi the investigation is drawing to a close.
?I will be serving him his personnel investigation,? Pileggi said, ?and he has seven days to respond to the findings of my investigation.?