West Virginia State Senator removed from Senate committees after being arrested for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct

WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — West Virginia State Senator Mike Maroney (R-Marshall) was arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and charged with two misdemeanors of indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.

Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley) released the following statement on Wednesday morning:

“ Above all, I am deeply concerned for our friend and colleague, Senator Mike Maroney. The facts that have emerged are troubling, and I am disappointed. However, in this time, our primary focus is on the well-being of Senator Maroney. To give him appropriate time to dedicate to his personal issues, I have removed him as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources and have relieved him of all other committee responsibilities. Like all citizens, Senator Maroney is entitled to full due process as this matter works its way through the legal system. We join in prayer for our friend Mike and his family as he deals with these issues.While the charges are still under investigation, if true, this allegation is obviously not up to the standard of what we expect from our elected leaders in the State Senate of West Virginia. ”

Senate President Craig Blair

Marshall County Prosecutor Joe Canestraro told 12 News’ Wheeling-area affiliate, 7News, that sometime Tuesday afternoon, a criminal complaint was filed against Maroney concerning an incident that occurred on Sunday at a gaming parlor in Glen Dale, where he was accused of performing an overt act of self gratification.

“This stemmed out of an investigation that began on Sunday, Aug. 4, around 12:00 noon, 12:30 p.m., wherein the Glendale Police Department received a call from two female employees at a local gaming parlor about a man that was committing an overt act of sexual gratification in the gaming parlor,” Canestraro ssid. “Chief Vogler responded at that location and found Michael Moroney in the gaming room alone and was identified by the females just as the person that they saw on the surveillance video.”

Disorderly conduct carries a potential sentence of 24 hours in jail and up to $100 fine. Indecent exposure carries up to one year in jail and up to a $500 fine.

Canestraro said Maroney was arraigned and released on a $3,000 personal recognizance bond Tuesday night.

This type of bond allows Maroney to be released from jail without paying the bond. The court is taking Maroney’s word that he will show up when his court date is set.

Maroney’s next court date has not been set at this time.

Maroney first took office in 2016, and was re-elected in 2020. He lost in the Republican Primary in 2024.

His current term in the West Virginia Legislature will expire on Dec. 1.

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