More than 1 boy approached in Sears bathroom, police say

[Town Crier]

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 13-year-old boy approached in the Sears bathroom at the Volusia Mall recently was not the sole victim of a man who exposed himself, Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Friday.

More... (http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/EastVolusia/evlEAST01090509.htm)

[ROOT]

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 13-year-old boy approached in the Sears bathroom at the Volusia Mall recently was not the sole victim of a man who exposed himself, Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Friday.
A second boy -- possibly 9 or 10 years old -- was also in the second-floor bathroom of the department store and was also likely approached by the older man for whom police are now looking. The incident happened between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m. Aug. 22.
"When we were looking at the video, you can see a second boy coming out of the bathroom who looks upset and was pointing toward the bathroom," Chitwood said. Investigators are now hoping the second child and his parents will come forward and speak with police about what may have occurred in the restroom.
A 13-year-old boy who was in town visiting his godparents was in one of the bathroom's stalls and said a man passed toilet paper to him through the cracks in the stall divider, Chitwood said. The suspect then asked the teen a lewd question concerning a male sexual organ.
When the child came out of the stall, the man was standing in the bathroom, exposing and "rubbing himself," Chitwood said. A surveillance camera posted outside the bathroom caught an image of the child and the suspect hurriedly leaving the bathroom separately.
However, as police cleaned up the video image for further investigation, they spotted a second boy also leaving the bathroom who was smaller and younger and who looked upset as he exited the facility, Chitwood said.
"There were two boys in that bathroom at the same time when this guy was in there," the chief said.
The second-floor men's bathroom at the store has been a problem for police in the past. In 2007, an undercover sting netted nine men who were accused of questionable behavior in the bathroom, which is located near the store's appliances section.
In the latest incident, the surveillance video shows an older white man -- possibly in his early to mid-50s -- with a western-style short-sleeved shirt walking away from the Sears bathroom. The same man was later observed at the J.C. Penney's, police said.
Anyone with information or who saw the suspect is asked to call Daytona Beach police, 386-671-5100.
lyda.longa@news-jrnl.com (lyda.longa@news-jrnl.com) Previous coverage:
· Mall Sex Sting special report (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/)

[ROOT]

Mall Sex Sting
WHAT HAPPENED: Nine men, including a former Daytona Beach city commissioner and a high school teacher, were arrested Nov. 1 after police said the men exposed themselves and committed lewd acts in a Volusia Mall bathroom. Police found a group of men used online ads to find out where they could meet for public sex -- and the Sears bathroom was one of those places. Police staked out the bathroom and made the arrests after they said they caught some of the men in the act. The arrests grew controversial after Police Chief Mike Chitwood referred to those arrested as "scumbags."
Defense: Perverted Justice denies access to computer evidence (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD03050209.htm)
Charges against a former police officer snared in a Dateline NBC "To Catch a Predator" sex sting in Flagler Beach should be dropped, in part, because a vigilante group didn't allow its computer to be examined, according to a court document.
Former commissioner has sex case dismissed (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/sexsting121708.htm)
A judge Tuesday dismissed a two-count misdemeanor case against former City Commissioner Mike Shallow, who, for more than a year, stood accused of masturbating in a closed bathroom stall at a local store.
Former commissioner says he was framed in bathroom sting (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/newEAST03103108.htm)
A former city commissioner and mayoral candidate accused of masturbating in a closed bathroom stall testified Thursday he believes he was framed for something he didn't do.
Judge drops out of sex-sting case (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD06EAST070408.htm)
The judge who has been presiding over the sex sting case of former City Commissioner Mike Shallow has removed himself from the fray.
Barred testimony throws curve into mall sex sting cases (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD01EAST061308.htm)
Much of the testimony of a Beach Patrol officer will not be allowed in the case of a man accused of masturbating in a closed bathroom stall in the Sears store at the Volusia Mall -- because he didn't have a legal right to peer inside -- a judge ruled Thursday.
More information:
· Read the complete order (PDF) (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/halpin.pdf)

Shallow says officers 'wrong'
to arrest him in sex sting (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD01042408.htm)
The law says a closed bathroom stall is a place set aside for disrobing and that masturbation, by itself, is not a crime. A judge will consider those key legal issues before deciding whether to drop charges against two men arrested separately during a sex sting last fall at the Volusia Mall.
Defense team questions mall sex sting arrests (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD03040108.htm)
Expectation of privacy a key argument
Defense lawyers for two men accused of separately committing lewd acts in a Sears men's room asked a judge Monday to drop the charges because of how the investigation was carried out.
Judge clears police chief of contempt charge (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/evlEAST03032508.htm)
A judge on Monday found Police Chief Mike Chitwood was not in contempt of court when he failed to show up to answer questions from a defense lawyer -- because of erroneous advice a deputy city attorney gave him.
Related coverage:
· Judge: Police chief must give deposition in sex sting case (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD04022308.htm)
· Gag order on police chief denied in sex sting case (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD01121807.htm) — Read the complete ruling (PDF) (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/gag.pdf)
· Attorney to Chitwood: Silence (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD04121207.htm)

Bach

Behringer

Benson

Brown

Halpin

Millard

Peterson

Shallow


Volage

Man gets 60 days in jail
for plea in sex sting (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/evlEAST05122007.htm)
The first of nine men arrested in a sting operation targeting illegal sex acts at a local Sears men's bathroom pleaded no contest to indecent exposure and committing a lascivious act in exchange for a 60-day jail sentence, prosecutors said Wednesday.
6 plead not guilty in mall sting (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD02111407.htm)
Six of the nine men accused of committing lewd acts and exposing themselves during a sting in a Sears bathroom at the Volusia Mall have already pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges. Former Daytona Beach city commissioner and mayoral candidate Mike Shallow and David Behringer, a former athletic trainer and teacher at Seabreeze High School, are among those arrested by police Nov. 1 at the mall. All were released on bail and the State Attorney's Office has not decided whether to file formal charges.
Mall bathroom sex sting
spotlights subculture (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD01110307.htm)
A sex sting involving nine men police accused of lewd conduct in a mall restroom has caused a high-school sports trainer to quit his job and tarnished the image of a former elected leader who pushed to make the city more family friendly. Mike Shallow, 57, a former Daytona Beach city commissioner and a mayoral candidate in the last three elections, was among those charged Thursday night with lewd behavior in the Sears restroom at the Volusia Mall.
Activists say arrests a setback for gay community (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD02110307.htm)
The nine men arrested in a sex sting inside a Volusia Mall bathroom aren't the only people who will pay a price, some local gay residents say. The entire local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is going to have a harder time than ever gaining equality and convincing people that only a tiny fraction among them is interested in sex with strangers in public places.
Ex commissioner, teacher charged in sex sting (http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/sexsting/frtHEAD01110207.htm)
A former Daytona Beach city commissioner and a local high school teacher arrested Thursday during a sex sting at a Volusia mall bathroom were released from the Volusia County Brach Jail today, authorities said. Former commissioner and mayoral candidate Mike Shallow and David Behringer, an athletic trainer and teacher at Seabreeze High School, posted $1,000 bail today after midnight, a jail spokesman said.

[Barb]

Yeah, these judges won't be happy until a child is actually raped.

Edited to be more specific: I think it's disgusting for anyone to set up a "meeting" in a bathroom. WTF happened to meeting for coffee, or over a beer? Even if it's a meeting for sex only....why degrade yourself?

And I don't confuse gay men or women with pedophiles. However, if a 10 yr old and a 13 yr old (and the child the last time) are victimized because of this, then I wonder if these "ads" are luring the pedophiles too.

Whatever the reason, Sears better either put an attendant on the door or lock up the bathrooms and patrons would need to request a key. Once is too much, no excuse for twice.

[TailTeaser]

Coffee anyone? :eyebrows: :dance::D

[ROOT]

anonimous sex is hard after coffee. but your right there is no excuse for exposing children or inecent bystanders to this. sears isnt really liable . making companies responcible for things out their control is part of whats wrong with this country. 10 year olds should be accompanied by an adult

[Goddess]

I used to stand right outside the bathroom door when my son went in. God help someone if he ever cried out.

I'd be in primal rip the freckin' gonads of anyone who tried anything. I may have been a little overprotective, but I was approached by a guy several times as a kid. The police didn't believe me.

Times they are a changin'....

[Brenda]

making companies responcible for things out their control is part of whats wrong with this country. 10 year olds should be accompanied by an adult

I kind of agree with this for the first incident. But after that, yes, it's their bathroom and they are responsible.

[TailTeaser]

anonimous sex is hard after coffee. but your right there is no excuse for exposing children or inecent bystanders to this. sears isnt really liable . making companies responcible for things out their control is part of whats wrong with this country. 10 year olds should be accompanied by an adult


Ok we can skip the coffe and be gentle, if your not into hard anonimous sex.:bounce: