Police arrested a 35-year-old man in Lake City on Tuesday after he tried to lure a boy with offers of chocolate, ending a three day string of escalating behavior that included indecent exposure and an attempted arson at a bus shelter.
The suspect, box of chocolates in hand, approached the 13-year-old boy at a pharmacy in the 14300 block of Lake City and tried to strike up a conversation. The suspect told the boy he was “legit” and “had ID” before asking the boy’s name. The man gave his address and invited him to come over and eat chocolate.
The boy’s mother, also in the store, overheard the conversation and asked the manager to call 911. Staff at the store escorted the suspect outside, and when officers arrived they found the man at a nearby convenience store and took him into custody.
Police booked the suspect into the King County Jail for the luring incident, which marked the third time police had contacted the man in as many days.
On October 19th, police contacted the man at a Lake City restaurant after receiving reports he had exposed himself to customers. Officers filed a report requesting charges against the man and released him.
A day later, on October 20th, an off-duty SPD officer spotted the man setting several newspapers on fire in a bus shelter at 130th and Lake City Way. The officer detained the man at the scene and called 911. Police booked the man into the King County Jail but he was released the following day, hours before he approached the boy at the Lake City pharmacy.
The 35-year-old man remains in the King County Jail for the luring incident.