Man reaches under stall in Target bathroom and sexually touches woman, Alabama cops say

A man is accused of reaching under a bathroom stall at a Target and sexually touching a woman, according to Alabama deputies.

Now he’s been charged with first-degree sexual abuse, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said in Dec. 20 news release.

The 38-year-old was taken into custody after the incident at the Target in Tuscaloosa County, AL.com reported.

A woman told investigators she was using the department store’s bathroom Dec. 12 when someone in the stall next to her dropped to a knee and reached under the stall to grab her, according to the news outlet.

Attorney information for the man is not available.

Capt. Jack Kennedy with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office told McClatchy News that investigators found past police reports in which the man was “suspected of similar activity.”

However, no arrests were made in those incidents.

“Investigators were able to establish a pattern of (the man) going into the girl’s bathroom at Target for sexual gratification including a similar incident a month prior,’’ according to a deposition obtained by the Tuscaloosa Thread.

The man was arrested Dec. 15 and booked at the Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond, jail records show.

“Due to the nature of these assaults, and known proclivities of these types of offenders, we encourage anyone who may have been a victim, or knows of any possible abuse by (the man) to please contact the Violent Crimes Unit at (205) 464-8690,” deputies said in the news release.

Tuscaloosa is about 60 miles southwest of Birmingham.

This story was originally published December 21, 2023 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Man reaches under stall in Target bathroom and sexually touches woman, Alabama cops say."