Perkins man accused of beating child » Local News » Stillwater NewsPress (http://www.stwnewspress.com/local/x503853145/Perkins-man-accused-of-beating-child)

February 16, 2013

Perkins man accused of beating child

By Russell Hixson Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — A Perkins man is accused of severely beating a 9-year-old child with a half-inch thick paddle because the child told children at school he liked the University of Oklahoma better than Oklahoma State University.

According to an affidavit prepared by Perkins police, Gannon Wade Mendez, 41, also is accused of punishing the child by making him eat soap, run until he vomits, pressing his palm on the child’s face until his nose bleeds, taking him out of school to do workouts, waking him up every half hour at night to do push ups, punching him in the face, picking him up by his hair and slamming him into a door.

The alleged abuse came to light when students and teachers noticed severe bruising on the child’s legs and buttocks this month. The child was taken to Payne County Youth Shelter and later evaluated at a Cushing hospital.

The affidavit shows the child told police he was punished after Mendez found out he had told children at school he was an OU fan and did not like OSU. He said Mendez had taken away all of his OU memorabilia.

The child also explained other punishments Mendez told him not to talk about. The child told police Mendez made him eat soap for an hour and wash it out with mouthwash. He told police Mendez would make his nose bleed by punching him in the face or crushing it with his hands by squeezing.

He told police Mendez would also punish him by forcing him to do intense workouts before school. He would also take the child out of school to do workouts or keep him up through the night to work out. The child said Mendez would take him to a football field and make him sprint until he vomited.

From KWTV 9 OKC…. Perkins Man Accused Of Abusing Son For Liking OU Better Than OSU

Perkins Man Accused Of Abusing Son For Liking OU Better Than OSU - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/21236688/perkins-man-accused-of-abusing-son-for-liking-ou-better-than-osu)

PERKINS, Oklahoma -

A 9-year-old boy claims his father battered, abused and beat him, partly because he did not share his parents' love for OSU.

These shocking allegations are coming out of the town of Perkins, just outside Stillwater.

According to a court document filed by a school resource officer with Perkins Police Department, the young boy told fellow classmates, his teacher, and DHS workers that his father whipped him with a paddle, and threw away all his OU gear for telling a boy he liked OU better than OSU.

He also showed them the bruises he got as a result of that beating.

Turns out his father, Gannon Mendez of Perkins Oklahoma, is a big OSU booster who was accused of providing benefits to some OSU players back in 2011 that would have violated NCAA rules. But the university said those claims were unfounded.

Now Mendez is facing felony child abuse charges.

In the affidavit, the young boy claimed his father forced him to eat soap, would often punch him in the nose and give him nosebleeds, and would repeatedly wake him in the middle of the night and make him perform boot camp drills inside the families Perkins home.

Court papers also reveal his own stepsister backs up the abuse claim, saying Mendez would make both of them run laps at the high school track as punishment, and that her brother would often throw up.

"Parents should certainly discipline their children," said John Hopper, who lives just down the street." I'm not opposed to that, but to abuse them is a different story."

Police have filed an arrest warrant request for both Gannon Mendez and his wife Angela.

Neither could be reached for comment. We did call their attorney, but that call has not yet been returned

I saw this story last night and it peeved me. Im a harmless soul when it comes to being physical but I wanted to wail on this sorry excuse of a human...

I saw this story last night and it peeved me. Im a harmless soul when it comes to being physical but I wanted to wail on this sorry excuse of a human...


agree 110%

This is sad and disgusting.

Let us not be too hasty to judge here (on account of we aren't supposed to be judgmental) . . .
And . . . as "The Owner's Manual/Instruction Book" says: "Judge not lest you be judged by the same standard that you apply to others."
(okay . . . read, internalized, and understood)

I hope that all firearms have been removed from that household and that this child is banned from ever owning or being within fifty feet of one.

I trust that the "father" will be properly sentenced to a "penitentary" wherein he can experience for himself the joys of abuse from all of the inmates who appreciate the fact that his example provides an example of a crime even worse than than their own.

I think that it would not be unfair for one of the "prisoners" to hand the lad an autographed bat to finish the job on the "bully" in a proper setting such as that outlined above. (or hand him a "millstone" to put around the punk's neck and toss him in a lake, as even Jesus said was a fitting punishment for crimes like this).

nah . . . all that would be "cruel and unusual" . . . like "karma" and "justice".

(sorry: should have simply stuck with "sad and disgusting" . . . child abuse makes me a bit angry)

This is very sad and sick behavior.
The guy was arrested and made bail.
If convicted and sent to jail his jail time might be particularly harsh?

It might rabbit, it might.

And if dad goes to jail and pays the price, the poor boy will no doubt that that on his conscience along with the rest of the misery. Hope they get him some serious counseling to help deal with that craziness.

Since this guy had some connections with OSU personalities when the time is right it would probably be a good idea if OSU issued some sort of statement or had someone of note do an interview condemning this guy’s actions.

As a diehard OSU fan, I find this story extremely troubling. No amount of love for your alma matter would justify the kinds of things this man is accused of doing. Please remember that the vast majority of OSU fans would never condone any of the things this man is accused of doing.

I actually know this guy, used to play golf with him years ago. Never would have imagined he would do something like this as he really was a nice dude when I knew him. Pretty sure he has priors as his picture used to be prominently displayed on bbates' site.

Since this guy had some connections with OSU personalities when the time is right it would probably be a good idea if OSU issued some sort of statement or had someone of note do an interview condemning this guy’s actions.

Not really. He's not an employee, so the only tie this has to OSU is that the guy was a fan and gave money. Colleges don't have to issue statements everytime someone who gave money or went to games does something horrible.

The focus should be on the fact that the guy was a piece of garbage who let his vicarious living through college kids turn him into a child abuser, not what OSU's responsibility in it is.

Colleges don't have to issue statements everytime someone who gave money or went to games does something horrible.

Very true. It's sort of like the OU fan who tried to manually castrate a Texas fan a few years ago. OU had no reason to get involved in that.

Very true. It's sort of like the OU fan who tried to manually castrate a Texas fan a few years ago. OU had no reason to get involved in that.But OU did get involved in the case of the castraed Texas fan a few years ago.
Joe C did talk about it publically and in very condemning ways. It was done because it was the right thing to do.




This OSU booster has had far closer ties to OSU and to major OSU personality’s than the OU fan did with OU who at best was described as a casual fan. The OSU booster is likely facing far worse consequences than the drunken OU fan who nobody of note at OU had ever heard of.

There are good reasons for the OSU administration to step up to the plate and to condemn the acts of child abuse from a man who had been an OSU booster with access to OSU football side line passes and more.
When the time is right, it’s just the right thing to do.

But OU did get involved in the case of the castraed Texas fan a few years ago.
Joe C did talk about it publically and in very condemning ways. It was done because it was the right thing to do.




This OSU booster has had far closer ties to OSU and to major OSU personality’s than the OU fan did with OU who at best was described as a casual fan. The OSU booster is likely facing far worse consequences than the drunken OU fan who nobody of note at OU had ever heard of.

There are good reasons for the OSU administration to step up to the plate and to condemn the acts of child abuse from a man who had been an OSU booster with access to OSU football side line passes and more.
When the time is right, it’s just the right thing to do.

I did not say that OU did not comment. I said they had no obligation to do so and that is absolutely correct. No one is a bigger OU fan than I am but I have no comdemnation at all for OSU in this matter. If they choose to comment, fine. It's also fine if they don't.

But OU did get involved in the case of the castraed Texas fan a few years ago.
Joe C did talk about it publically and in very condemning ways. It was done because it was the right thing to do.

This OSU booster has had far closer ties to OSU and to major OSU personality’s than the OU fan did with OU who at best was described as a casual fan. The OSU booster is likely facing far worse consequences than the drunken OU fan who nobody of note at OU had ever heard of.

There are good reasons for the OSU administration to step up to the plate and to condemn the acts of child abuse from a man who had been an OSU booster with access to OSU football side line passes and more.
When the time is right, it’s just the right thing to do.

Once again you let your extreme fandom get the best of you. OSU has no reason to issue a statement about what some guy did to his kid in his own home. Does you really think OSU officials need to reaffirm the fact that this guy is a piece of $#!+

No one goes into a situation like this thinking "well, if the university didn't condemn this, then they must be ok with it!" They don't have to condemn it, just like OU doesn't have to condemn any crime committed by OU fans or boosters. No one is going to come out of this thinking that OSU is for child abuse.

I really hope this entire thread wasn't posted to make some statement about football teams. That'd be disgusting.

As a diehard OSU fan, I find this story extremely troubling. No amount of love for your alma matter would justify the kinds of things this man is accused of doing. Please remember that the vast majority of OSU fans would never condone any of the things this man is accused of doing.

I think the vast majority of any college fan would never condone this type of behavior. This is almost like the Alabama fan that poisoned the Auburn tree, not saying that's the same as child abuse but the same deranged fan mentality.

I really hope this entire thread wasn't posted to make some statement about football teams. That'd be disgusting.

Dude, don't be cynical. ou48A posts threads about child abuse cases all the time. That this one just happens to involve a fan of his favorite university's biggest rival is merely a coincidence.

Dude, don't be cynical. ou48A posts threads about child abuse cases all the time. That this one just happens to involve a fan of his favorite university's biggest rival is merely a coincidence.That’s so wrong!

I think the vast majority of any college fan would never condone this type of behavior. This is almost like the Alabama fan that poisoned the Auburn tree, not saying that's the same as child abuse but the same deranged fan mentality.

That’s about the way I feel.
But Just like the University of Alabama did, this is another opportunity to do what is right and speak out making it clear that this bad behavior should not be tolerated. Who knows, there may actually be another deranged fan out there that may need to hear these actions being condemned.

Once again you let your extreme fandom get the best of you. OSU has no reason to issue a statement about what some guy did to his kid in his own home. Does you really think OSU officials need to reaffirm the fact that this guy is a piece of $#!+
Most major university’s eventually do say or make a condemning statement when serious laws have been broken by one of their boosters who they have had close contact with.
If other universities are any indication this would not be out of line or unreasonable.


On edit. Interesting picture here of the guy with the man who controls practically everything at OSU

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IbHJ0VcRBJs/USMCJgpUnGI/AAAAAAAAABI/KkVXe8D8JRw/s604/n500546783_2842185_8109710.jpg

Presuming reports are accurate, the guy is apparently a perfect waste of an O2 to CO2 exchange system and the world would be just as well off if all future exchange functions took place in a cold dark room 23/7, with only MadEye Bubba around to occasionally adjust the exchange rate.

That this apparent waste of humanity happened to have a favorite college to root for is no more than an unfortunate factoid for that particular school.

That’s so wrong!

And yet you pretty much have made your entire argument about how this prick's OSU donations, rather than the terrible things the prick has done.

This guy is a waste of space, what he did was awful, the reasons he did it were even more awful, and all he was was a fan who gave money. They're not doing anything wrong if they just ignore that this awful person existed.

Most major university’s eventually do say or make a condemning statement when serious laws have been broken


Who can forget the tersely worded statement from Joe C. warning of the perils of combining Xanax, oxymorphone, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone in the wake of Austin box's death?

Please, your feigned indignation regarding the lack of a University response for something that is patently obvious for everybody rings hollow.

And yet you pretty much have made your entire argument about how this prick's OSU donations, rather than the terrible things the prick has done.

This guy is a waste of space, what he did was awful, the reasons he did it were even more awful, and all he was was a fan who gave money. They're not doing anything wrong if they just ignore that this awful person existed.
In my very first post where I gave my opinion I said

“This is very sad and sick behavior.
The guy was arrested and made bail.
If convicted and sent to jail his jail time might be particularly harsh?”
Would it make you feel better if I just kept dwelling on the point that I had already established.


This is not just some random booster who is been charged with these horrendous acts and apparently that is something some are having trouble coming to terms with.

It’s a guy that had close access to major OSU personality’s including players. He was granted rare access even for boosters to the OSU football program, maybe the basketball program, and other OSU sports.

While OSU is not legally obligated so say anything, based on what other universities have done I would bet that the OSU administration (who are very decent people) will be smart enough to eventually say something about this. It would be fully understandable if they waited until the case is fully adjudicated.

Would it make you feel better if I just kept dwelling on the point that I had already established.


It'd have been far better than continuing steering the conversation to the guy being a donor at OSU and trying to tie him as closely as you could to the athletic program, including actually taking the time to find a picture of him with Boone Pickens (because that's relevant to the guy beating his kid somehow?)

I don't care how big of a booster he is, it's not right or wrong, smart or dumb, or anything else for the athletic department to make a statement or not make a statement. The fact that a college athletic department has to come out against someone who abused their child as though doing anything else makes them pro-kid-beating is ludicrous to me. And the fact that you're harping so much on that angle just makes it look like the only reason you posted this thread was because it was an OSU fan involved and you have an innate desire to make sure there's as much bad OSU news as you can get out there.

When we get to the point where people get so obsessed that they tie their lives so closely to the athletic exploits of college age students, we get cases like this. Would I be upset if they said something? No, I'd be entirely indifferent. Everyone should be completely indifferent to the response of a college athletic program to a guy beating his kid for being for not being a fan. It doesn't matter. He's not an employee of the university, he's not using university facilities, he's a guy with deep pockets who did something despicable, and only represents the fact that he's a guy with deep pockets who did something despicable. He could be a KU, OU, A&M, UT, tOSU, USC, ND, or Harvard fan, and it'd be equally as irrelevant to those universities.

We don't need to be told that they officially find his actions to be wrong. Anyone with a pulse and a conscience finds his actions to be wrong.

And the fact that you're harping so much on that angle just makes it look like the only reason you posted this thread was because it was an OSU fan involved and you have an innate desire to make sure there's as much bad OSU news as you can get out there.

I disagree. ou48A is a tireless advocate against child abuse in the state of Oklahoma. He posts about this stuff all the time in order to raise awareness and educate others. In fact, here's a list of all the other threads he's started about it here over the years:

It'd have been far better than continuing steering the conversation to the guy being a donor at OSU and trying to tie him as closely as you could to the athletic program, including actually taking the time to find a picture of him with Boone Pickens (because that's relevant to the guy beating his kid somehow?)

I don't care how big of a booster he is, it's not right or wrong, smart or dumb, or anything else for the athletic department to make a statement or not make a statement. The fact that a college athletic department has to come out against someone who abused their child as though doing anything else makes them pro-kid-beating is ludicrous to me. And the fact that you're harping so much on that angle just makes it look like the only reason you posted this thread was because it was an OSU fan involved and you have an innate desire to make sure there's as much bad OSU news as you can get out there.

When we get to the point where people get so obsessed that they tie their lives so closely to the athletic exploits of college age students, we get cases like this. Would I be upset if they said something? No, I'd be entirely indifferent. Everyone should be completely indifferent to the response of a college athletic program to a guy beating his kid for being for not being a fan. It doesn't matter. He's not an employee of the university, he's not using university facilities, he's a guy with deep pockets who did something despicable, and only represents the fact that he's a guy with deep pockets who did something despicable. He could be a KU, OU, A&M, UT, tOSU, USC, ND, or Harvard fan, and it'd be equally as irrelevant to those universities.

We don't need to be told that they officially find his actions to be wrong. Anyone with a pulse and a conscience finds his actions to be wrong.


For your information’s the picture that I posted has been posted on many other message boards with far harsher commentary about OSU and their fans than anything said on this thread. It wasn’t at all hard to find. If you think I am harsh, you need to stop living in a bubble. There are also other pictures of this guy that expose his close ties to OSU football.

The people in charge of OSU know that standing up for against wrongs like this is never wrong. They will eventually say something. They are not going to be afraid to confront the issue… They are smart enough to know that their words might make a difference to others in their mist who also may be so consumed with so much hate that that they would take their fandom so far that they would abuse children…

For your information’s the picture that I posted has been posted on many other message boards with far harsher commentary about OSU and their fans than anything said on this thread. It wasn’t at all hard to find. If you think I am harsh, you need to stop living in a bubble. There are also other pictures of this guy that expose his close ties to OSU football.

The people in charge of OSU know that standing up for against wrongs like this is never wrong. They will eventually say something. They are not going to be afraid to confront the issue… They are smart enough to know that their words might make a difference to others in their mist who also may be so consumed with so much hate that that they would take their fandom so far that they would abuse children…

I don't really care if you had that picture saved before this was reported. The fact is, you brought up and keep bringing up OSU ties. You put time, I don't care how brief, into getting that photo and posting it here solelyand entirely to hammer home how he was an OSU fan and a member of "their fandom" took it so far as to abuse children. Even now, you can't go a post without talking about pictures of his OSU ties. No one is arguing that this guy, has OSU ties, we can read, because no one with any real perspective on the situation gives a rat's ass about it. You're the only person who keeps trying to hammer it home. It makes it look like the only reason you cared about the story enough to warrant posting was about a child being abused in the first place was because of the OSU tie that you could harp on.

Secondly, it doesn't matter what anyone anywhere else is saying. They show the entire problem of being so damn obsessed with a college kids playing a game as much as anything else, because they're doing the absolutely deplorable act of using child abuse to further their sports fervor. Anyone who's doing that is behaving pathetically. Anyone who would act on that sports fervor it obviously doesn't have the moral fortitude or brain cells to change their behavior at a press release, because if they had either, they'd have already understood how horrific a thought it was in the first place.