The family of a teenage girl is speaking out after alleging their daughter was sexually abused by 27-year-old Geoffrey Cannon, director of the Oregon Coast Military Museum in Florence. According to reporting from The Register-Guard, the girl was 15 years old and volunteering at the museum when the alleged abuse took place.
“Our child deserved a safe, supportive place to learn and contribute; not to be exploited by someone in power,” the teen’s mother said in a statement.
On July 22, Cannon was indicted by a Lane County grand jury on four counts of second-degree sex abuse. The charges involve allegations of both oral and sexual intercourse with the teen. Each count is a Class C felony carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Nicole Revoal, a spokesperson for the victim’s family, told The Register-Guard that Cannon allegedly groomed the teenager for over a year, misled her about the age of consent, and instructed her to keep their relationship secret. Court documents reviewed by the paper indicate digital communications between Cannon and the teen included explicit references to BDSM and demands for secrecy.
In a board meeting recording obtained by The Register-Guard, a museum board member was heard making disparaging comments about the victim. The member claimed the girl was “not a little girl” and went so far as to call her a “promiscuous little slut.”
Gary Cannon, Geoffrey’s father and president of the museum board, also suggested the victim “knew what she was doing.” Gary Cannon is a decorated Vietnam veteran and retired teacher. These remarks have been condemned by the victim’s family and local advocates, who say the statements reflect a culture of victim-blaming and a lack of accountability within the institution.
In response, locals are demanding that Cannon be removed from his position, that an independent review of the museum’s leadership be conducted, and that stronger protections be put in place for youth volunteers at Oregon nonprofits.
“The museum’s failure to act decisively, and the board’s victim-blaming remarks, have only deepened our pain,” the family said. “No other young person should be put at risk under the guise of mentorship or service.”
The Oregon Coast Military Museum declined to comment when reached by The Register-Guard.
On July 15, the museum posted on social media that the charges came as a “great shock” and urged the public to withhold judgment until the case is resolved. It also assured supporters the museum remains open daily.
Court documents show Cannon was released from Lane County Jail on July 11 under electronic monitoring. He was ordered to have no contact with minors and to refrain from any form of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for October 15.
