Motocross mentor may have raped children in 10 other states, says Hamilton County D.A.
HIXSON, Tenn. — UPDATE (January 10th, 2022):
Ryan Andrew Meyung may have more child rape victims across 10 states, according to a release from Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston's office.
The release is asking for the public's help provide information that may lead to new charges.
District Attorney Pinkston held a news conference. Watch below:
Meyung remains at the Silverdale Detention Center Monday morning, charged with three counts of child rape, two counts of aggravated kidnapping and other related charges, after authorities arrested him in December.
The D.A.'s Office says local authorities have now expanded their investigation, and are working with Homeland Security Investigations.
All agencies believe there may be more victims in other states, including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
Mr. Meyung was running a business known as “Live Your Dreams MX,” said Hamilton County District Attorney General Neal Pinkston, "which involved him traveling around the United States and other countries building motocross tracks. His work also involved teaching and mentoring children on how to motocross. This business was based in Indiana.”
In addition to running “Live Your Dreams MX,” Pinkston says Meyung has past and present connections with several youth-oriented organizations and youth ministries. These connections required Meyung to travel all across the United States.
At various times over the past two years, Pinkston says Meyung performed work for a company in Hamilton County as a driver, delivering products to various places throughout the U.S.
Meyung has no known permanent address. He has resided with local families in areas where he builds motocross tracks and performs motocross camps for children or lives out of a bus he co-owned with another unnamed individual.
One of those local families was the first to press charges against him (scroll down to read details).
In our area, Meyung has previously hosted motor cross events at Boyd's Speedway.
Larry Dismukes is the speedway's general manager. He explained that "Live Your Dreams MX" leased the property to host a few events last year.
"Boyd’s Speedway leased the facility to Live Your Dreams MX to operate some Motocross Events in 2021. Mr. Meyung was arrested while preparing the track for a Motocross event. He did not live at Boyd’s Speedway. This is a terrible situation and our hearts go out to all the families," said Dismukes in a statement to NewsChannel 9.
After we first published this story, Pinkston says people from other states contacted case investigators about further illegal activities involving Meyung and other children.
Investigations are beginning in these other states. General Pinkston said there may be more victims in the southeast Tennessee and north Georgia area.
“If you have any information related to Meyung’s arrest, or if you suspect that your child might be one of his victims, you are encouraged to call the HSI Tipline at 866-347-2423, or you can contact them online at https://www.ice.gov/tipline."
Pinkston says over the weekend authorities arrested Meyung's twin brother, Bryan Meyung, and Marisa Davis and charged them both with evidence tampering.
An affidavit says investigators noticed Ryan Meyung had been reaching out to people asking them to tamper with evidence by remotely wiping digital information from his Apple iPhone and iCloud accounts.
Ryan Meyung was told by his brother Davis that they had been trying to reach out to Google and Facebook about wiping the accounts, according to the affidavit, and that they had "exhausted all resources."
Both Bryan Meyung and Davis were arrested and charged with evidence tampering and acting as accessories to a crime.
Individuals who knew Ryan Meyung have weighed in on the case via social media. “I know a lot of young kids that used to look up to this punk. Wow," said one person.
Another individual who said they got to know Meyung through Motorcross said, ""It’s always the people you least expect."
Depend on us to keep you posted on this developing story as we learn more.
UPDATE (Monday, December 27th):
Ryan Andrew Meyung now faces new charges: 2 counts of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of child rape, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
An affidavit we obtained says the victims in this case were siblings who are 10 and 11 years old.
It says on December 10th, they told investigators Meyung and the children were hanging around their father's work, when they walked through a parking lot to Ryan's white bus to "talk about dirt bike stuff."
After going inside the bus and talking about dirt bikes for a minute, one of the children said Meyung told them he had to go to the front of the bus, and that they heard a "weird sound" that could have been Meyung locking the doors, which scared the child.
That's when the children said Meyung sexually violated one of the children, according to the affidavit.
Both children tried to fight Meyung off and escape, but realized the bus doors were locked. After some effort, they managed to get the front door open and run away, with Meyung shouting "don't tell your Dad" as they left, according to the affidavit.
Meyung was already in custody at the Silverdale Detention Center (see story below). This new affidavit says detectives heard him making a phone call to his girlfriend from jail, asking her to go into his Apple account and erase his profile.
Depend on us to keep you posted as we learn more.
PREVIOUSLY:
A motorcycle stunt rider for a traveling circus has been charged with raping a 12-year-old child in Hixson, according to a police affidavit.
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Ryan Andrew Meyung on Friday.
An affidavit we obtained says police were called to Hixson home earlier this week.
The victim's father told investigators that he had discovered a tobacco vape pen in his child's possession. The father told investigators that the child broke down and said he got it from Meyung, who was a family friend.
The father told investigators that he let Meyung stay at his house every now and then, when he was passing through town.
The victim told investigators that Meyung went into his bedroom on more than one occasion and engaged in inappropriate behavior with him, according to the affidavit.
The child said Meyung provided him with several gifts that included an iPhone 12, money, food, birthday presents, and two nicotine vape pens.
The affidavit says Meyung is a "known transient" with no fixed address, who told police he travels with a traveling circus company as a motorcycle stunt rider. At the time of his arrest, he was living in a camper near the Chattanooga Motorcross Park in Ringgold.
Meyung remains in custody at the Silverdale Detention Center.
Depend on us to bring you updates on this story as we get them.
