Posted on 10/05/2005 6:50:41 PM PDT by xjcsa
DES MOINES (AP) --- A homeless man who's a registered sex offender was arrested after police said he grabbed a toddler and sexually assaulted her in the men's room of the downtown public library.
Police hailed library workers who pulled the girl away from the man as heroes.
James C. Effler Jr., 32, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree sexual assault and failure to comply with rules of the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, because he was not living at the address listed.
Police said Effler grabbed a 20-month-old girl as she played near a computer being used by her babysitter. Library employees helped the babysitter search for the child before hearing the girl cry from the restroom, which was locked, police said.
Employees called police and removed the door handle to reach the girl, then held Effler until officers arrived, Capt. Kelly Willis said.
"Most of the police work was done by the library staff before we even arrived," Willis said.
The child was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The extent of her injuries was not made public.
Effler was convicted in 2003 for a sex crime against a 31-year-old woman in El Paso, Texas. He was sentenced to three years in prison and later paroled.
Police have not determined how long Effler has been living in Iowa.
Effler is listed on the state registry, but because his conviction involved an adult victim, he is not covered by the state law that prohibits some offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or child care center.
Police said Effler was living at a homeless shelter.
When library workers heard the girl scream in the restroom, they saw an adult's shadow on the other side of the door's frosted glass, police said.
When they couldn't force their way into the restroom, they called for a maintenance worker with a screwdriver, Willis said. Once the door handled was removed, they opened the door, pulled the child out and shut Effler inside.
"They are heroes," Willis said. "They grabbed the baby and shut the door on him."
Records show that in recent months, Effler was jailed for public urination, arrested for drunken driving and charged with shoplifting.
Think they'll make it that far?
Ouch!!!!!
What is THIS guy doing out in public? What is it going to take people?"
A shooting?
At us or by us? Time to stand up in every dang Town Hall political meeting and ask our pols just what they are doing about this. Too many of them are making excuses for these people. Sorry you cannot save everyone. Some people are TOO damaged to be allowed back out in public.
Some do. I suppose that's why some catch some serious religion and turn into uber-fundies trying to erase what they did.
I would think that perv's done his last stint in the slammer when word of his latest deed gets around.
Needs Killing
What "Ouch!!!" - I'd like to own and operate a beer stand there during the occasion!
He looks like a freak. Only three years for previous sex crime. Hang the SOB.
City of Seattle has a new five million dollar public urinal
full of sh** stains.
Uh...These were the good old days in what 3rd world hell-hole? Man, that's every bit as sick as what the molester did.
Save me a seat... front row!
Thank goodness he was caught. I wish our police force could do something more to protect more people.
So, did he used to be a democrat or republican?
Now that is TOTALLY uncalled for.
They don't even throw away the key for killing someone. It seems they'll let people out no matter what they've done. Absolutely DISGUSTING!
Hmm looks like he might escape to the top
of the building, and commit Police Station
Roof Assisted Suicide.
Society has failed this poor man of lesser means.....
yep...failed to deal out the proper punishments--life in jail and mandatory castration (without anesthesia).
I say amputate his genitals, solve that problem
That would work, but my personal preference would be a tall tree and a short rope. Remember the line from "Pirates of the Caribbean" - 'a short drop and a sudden stop.'
While the blame goes to the perp...what was that babysitter thinking? Why not charge her with child endangerment?
You can not imagine the number of parents I see in stores who are busy "shopping" while their young child wanders around. I would like to charge these people with child endangerment too. Or how about at least charging them for the police resources we need if the kid is missing or are called? If you try to say something to the parents, they become irate that you have disturbed their shopping.
Should have shot him on sight.
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