Man accused of touching minors at park during festival

A Muldrow man is charged with prisoner placing body fluid on government employee after he spit on an officer several times on the way to jail after being accused of touching juvenile females at the Roland City Park during the annual Iron Mountain Festival.

Charlie Person Jr., 20, was charged July 19 in Sequoyah County District Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to court documents. He is scheduled to appear for an August 30 felony disposition docket before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.

Roland Police officer Charles McGee reported on July 1 that he was notified by a local firefighter, who said several female minors told him a man had allegedly touched one of their friends.

The firefighter said his daughter was one of the minors, and she told him a man wearing a gray polo-style shirt and jeans had allegedly followed her and her friends at the Roland City Park. The minor said the man walked up and reportedly “grabbed” one of the girls by her waist, and told her “she needed to leave with him.”

The officer made contact with the man at the bridge near the swimming pool and told him he needed to speak with him at the police department. The man, later identified as Person, asked several times what he had done wrong and why he was being taken to the police department. McGee reportedly told Person the location was not an appropriate place to talk since there was a festival going on at that time.

McGee said Person began walking, stopped and then demanded once again to know what he was going to the police department for. The officer said Person became distraught when he told him it was because he’d been accused of touching juvenile females.

Person then threw his water bottle and “bowed up” to the officer as if he was going to fight him, according to the probable cause affidavit in the case. The officer instructed him to pick up the water bottle and continue walking to the police department.

At the police department, McGee went over the allegations made against Person, and Person told him he never touched anyone. He said he told them his name and age, and that he was new to the area and that the girls had given him a “weird look.” He said he then asked the girls if “he was that scary.” He also claimed when he learned the girls’ ages, he walked away. Person was then detained and placed in the holding area.

One of the minor’s mothers told McGee her daughter said Person had grabbed her by her hips and pulled her aside, asking her if she’d like to walk around with him. She said he then asked her and her friends, “Am I that scary?” and the girls walked away. She said about 10 minutes later, her daughter and friends told her Person was following her. She said when Person saw her (the mother) he went inside a restroom and reportedly began punching items inside it.

Person was transported to the Sequoyah County Detention Center where he was originally charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery, and assault on an officer. While he was being transported, he reportedly spit on an officer multiple times and additionally charged with prisoner placing body fluid on government employee.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said the charge is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to $1,000.