4/16/10 – TG: Judge grants request for Sion Alamo’s name change ***COMMENTS***
Texarkana Gazette
April 16, 2010
By: Lynn LaRowe
Judge grants request for name change
Tony Alamo’s 18-year-old son told a Miller County judge Thursday that his father’s name was keeping him from finding a job.
On Wednesday, Sion Abraham Alamo filed a petition asking that his named be changed to Sion Abraham Lazar. He cited “inconveniences” caused by his father’s notoriety as the reason for his request.
When asked by Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson to more specifically describe the inconveniences posed by the surname Alamo, Lazar said he believes he has been turned town for positions in nursing homes because of his last name.
“They don’t really say it but I can see it in their facial expressions,” Lazar said.
Lazar told Johnson he intends to move “back to New York” once his name is legally changed. Alamo ministries operates churches in Fouke, Fort Smith, Ark., Saugus, Calif., and New York.
Johnson told Lazar he would sign the order after he submitted proof of a background check revealing no felony convictions or pending criminal cases.
“Take this to the sheriff’s office and if there’s no problem we’ll get this resolved,” Johnson said.
Lazar returned about an hour later, and Johnson signed the order.
Lazar’s father, whose given name is Bernie LaZar Hoffman, changed his name to Tony Alamo in the 1960s. Alamo was convicted in July of bringing young girls he had wed across state lines for sex. In November, he was sentenced to 175 years in federal prison.
“I’m not going to answer that,” Lazar said when asked if he planned to assume his father’s position as leader of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries.
“It’s not my job to answer questions about people’s suspicions,” Lazar said.
Lazar said the media have “misrepresented our ministry” and made “everything sound horrible.”
April 18th, 2010 at 7:23 am
naaa…in this case the media just reported the facts and they are in fact horrible.
April 18th, 2010 at 7:36 am
your father is a seventy year old man with an insatiable appetite for younger and younger female human beings. his personal demons feed on the energetic flare that arises from his victims hopelessness and fear. now the tables have turned and he will be victim to the demons locked in prison with him….forever
ps i give him five years tops
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Its true erick. Im pretty sure that they all know that somethings not right, especially the ones that were close to tony. Lets hope that they will get real jobs before it’s too late.