The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
When a mother saw a man that she believed was a registered sex offender on a bicycle near the dumpster at an elementary school, she committed to her suspicion that he was a danger and reported the alleged suspect to the authorities.
On Easter Sunday, the mother of a student enrolled at Bauder Elementary School was driving past the campus when she saw a man riding a bicycle. She reported that she observed him as he made his way around the perimeter of the school before entering the fenced-off area and heading for the dumpster.
The concerned mother reported that she intuitively knew, using her natural instincts as a mom, that something was wrong with the situation and that the man was up to no good. The woman also read posts in a group on Facebook where other parents had mentioned a man seen riding a bike around at the end of the school days.
The mom located the online resource to search through registered sex offenders in the area. She said since she knew the man they were speaking of had longer hair, she determined that she found the picture of the person making a presence around the school after spotting the photo of a man with similarly long locks. The mother then notified the authorities about the situation and told them that she believed the offender was 67-year-old Herbert John Saxton.
The Sheriff’s Department reported that they had received another call concerning the same type of incident during the previous week.
The security videos from the school were evaluated, and the mother who saw the man on Easter was interviewed in person during the investigation into the claims. The woman chose Saxton out of a line-up of photographs and said, “I knew right away out of the pictures, which one it was,” again, pointing out her intuitive nature.
Saxton, who had been incarcerated for 4 years based on a sentence for sexual battery in 1988, was taken into custody and charged for suspicion of trespassing, due to his resemblance to the man in the images and proximity his to the elementary school.
In order to get out of jail, Saxton was ordered to pay $1000 and agree to electronic monitoring so that his whereabouts can be easily tracked.
As of this time, it has been reported that no children had come into contact with or suffered injury from Saxton’s alleged presence near the campus.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.