Brookline, MA saw an alarming series of incidents last Thursday as police reported a suspect's attempt to engage with local children inappropriately. According to a social media post from the Brookline MA Police Department, the first of two related reports occurred when a man followed and attempted to converse with two pre-teen girls on Washington Street. Feeling uneasy, the girls sped up and eventually ran away from the man, prompting one of them to contact their parent and, subsequently, the authorities.
Within the same hour as they were handling the first incident, officers received a second call. This one involved allegations of a man showing several pre-teen boys inappropriate material on a computer at the Brookline Public Library. The suspect reportedly also tried to lure one of the boys into the bathroom and allegedly touched one boy on the stomach. The suspect, a 35-year-old identified as Jacob Williams from Winchendon, MA, was arrested shortly thereafter near the library premises.
Williams is facing multiple charges, including Dissemination of Material Harmful to Minors, Disorderly Conduct, Enticement of a Child Under Age 16, Annoy or Accosting a Person Sexually, and Indecent A&B on Child Under Age 14. Although charged, it is important to remember that the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
