Millionaire Indicted On Charges That Allege That Stan Marsh Sexually Assaulted Teenagers

Millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 was indicted Wednesday by an Amarillo,Texas grand jury on charges that alleged he sexually assaulted six teenagers.

The son of an oil tycoon was charged on four counts of sexual assault of a child, eight counts of sexual performance by a child, and two counts of indecency with a child. His attorneys have denied the allegations, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Marsh, 75, turned himself in and was bailed on a $100,000 bond in November. The warrants included six counts of child sexual assault and five counts of sexual performance of a child. Those allegations involved a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old, according to the AP.

If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000 on each of the felony counts.

The allegations against Marsh said he gave teenage boys cash, alcohol, drugs and in one case and two BMWs in another case in return to perform sex acts with him during secret encounters at his office. In one of the civil cases, a teenager claimed he had more than 100 sexual encounters with Marsh in his office and Marsh's home.

Amarillo police said in a statement that they found evidence in Marsh's downtown offices that corroborated "the accounts of sexual exploitation of minors." Police seized computers, couch cushion covers, a photo of a nude male and signed confidentiality agreements, among other things, according to a search warrant inventory report.

Special prosecutor Matt Powell said in a statement Wednesday that Marsh would be eligible for probation because he has no felony convictions.

"There should be no premature rush to judgment," the statement said. "Now that we have notice of the specific allegations, we will commence our investigation, which will be thorough and rigorous. We have great faith in our legal system, and welcome the challenge of exposing the truth, and defending our friend and client, Mr. Marsh."

These allegations aren't the first to come for the man known as the sponsor of the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo features 10 Cadillacs that are buried nose down.

In 1998, Marsh pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of unlawful restraint and criminal trespassing as part of an agreement that dismissed five felony charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and indecency with a child. He served 10 days in jail and paid $4,000 in fines.

In 1996, he settled a lawsuit with a teen who claimed Marsh sexually abused him. Also, in 2001, four lawsuits against Marsh that alleged imprisonment, sexual misconduct and harassment of teens were settled. No other details were made public.