Disney Music Executive Charged With Sex Abuse

A Disney music publishing executive was charged with three felony counts of child sex abuse this week and suspended after the company heard of the charges.

According to Variety, Jon Heely, 58, of Santa Clarita has been accused of sexually abusing two underage girls about a decade ago. One of the alleged victims was abused when she was 15. Heely allegedly abused the second girl multiple times when she was between the ages of 11 and 15 years old.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested Heely on Nov. 16. He was released on $150,000 bail and charged on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty with his next court date set for Jan. 10.

Heely faces up to nine years and three months in prison if convicted.

“He vehemently denies these allegations and we will be fighting until the end to clear his name,” his attorney, Robert Helfend, told Variety. “It’s a shame, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

A Disney spokesman said Heely was suspended on Friday after the company learned of the charges. He will be suspended without pay “until the matter is resolved by the courts,” the spokesman told Variety.

According to Heely’s LinkedIn page, he is now Director of Music Publishing for The Walt Disney Company. He has been with the company since 1981 and oversees the music publishing of songs from Disney films.

He also produces Disney concert tours, with his role extending to organizing Disney’s vast music publishing archive.

“At Disney Music Group, we handle Disney music publishing and hold the rights to all the music of Disney films and Pixar films,” Heely explained in a 2013 interview with RVANews. “My job is to do things with that music, like turning it into sheet music for home pianists or school bands and renting music to orchestras.”

His Twitter bio consists of 10 words, “Disney Concerts and living to glorify God in all things.”