Police cuff and haul off a sex offender after he chats up young boys at a neighborhood park …
Last Wednesday night, a convicted sex offender was arrested at Glencoe Park in East Dallas. An astute parent called police after noticing a man who was unrelated to any of the team members, watching and speaking with boys as they practiced football, according to an email sent to parents by the Spring Valley Athletic Association Football Commissioner Carolyn Stewart.
A note from the coach relays the disturbing situation:
“(The man) was watching our practice at Glencoe Park, and at one point came on the field with the boys. While I was not watching him closely enough, he at first seemed to me to be associated with one of the other teams at the field, and then seemed to be an uncle or someone else who knew some of our boys, at one point coming on the field seeming to be giving tips. He was so bold about this it seemed to me he belonged with someone, and I thought him to be an overbearing relative. Before I lost patience asked him to step back, he was gone.”
The note continues:
“This individual ended up being cuffed and taken away after he left our area. The police told this parent the individual had a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child. Had this parent not followed the person when he walked off and called police, we would have been none the wiser.”
The SVAA has implemented strict new practice policies following the incident.
Striking to me is the way the guy pretended to belong on the field. That tells us that predators don’t simply lurk in the shadows but sometimes try to hide in plain sight, so keep your eyes peeled and keep the kids and other parents and coaches informed.
