A Clarkston man has been charged after being accused of leaving a sexually explicit note on a teenage girl's car in a Michigan Target parking lot. The incident, which reportedly occurred on a Tuesday evening around 6 p.m., involved a note that offered to pay the 17-year-old victim for sexual favors. Thomas Mellick Hensler, 38, was identified by Auburn Hills police as the suspect after the teen alerted them to the disturbing discovery on her vehicle at the Auburn Hills Target on Brown Road, as reported by CBS News.
After receiving the report, officers engaged with the number left on the note and discovered Hensler in his car, parked nearby. During the arrest, authorities found illegal substances and sex toys within the vehicle. This may not have been an isolated incident; Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald indicated that "multiple parents have since reported their children found similar notes on their cars with the same phone number," according to MidMichiganNow. The prosecutor's office is urging anyone who believes their children were targeted in this way to contact local police.
Hensler faces several charges, including one count of child sexually abusive activity, which carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine if convicted. He's also charged with one count of using computers to commit a crime, which could add up to an additional 20 years beyond any sentence for the underlying crime. Hensler has been further charged with possession of methamphetamine, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, as detailed by MidMichiganNow.
Currently held on a $25,000 bond at the Oakland County Jail, Hensler is ordered to wear a GPS tether if the bond is posted. He is prohibited from returning to Target or having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18. He is expected to return to court on March 27.
