FILE - Generic image of a restroom and bathroom stalls. (Getty Images)
BOSTON - A man was arrested and charged after he allegedly coerced a child to eat Gushers inside a restaurant bathroom and then followed that child to a nearby playground, according to a police report.
Dig deeper:
Ronald Johns, 34, was inside a 99 Restaurant restroom in Charlestown, Massachusetts on March 21 when he encountered a 13-year-old boy.
Johns was allegedly not wearing a shirt when the boy entered the restroom and was seen holding an unopened box of Gushers candy, according to the report from the Boston Police Department.
After refusing the Gushers several times, the boy reluctantly ate one before he exited the restaurant.
Johns then allegedly followed the boy, who was at the restaurant with some of his friends, to a nearby playground.
There, Johns repeatedly attempted to interact with the group of children despite their continued requests for him to leave them alone, according to the report.
The parents of one of the children who was with the 13-year-old boy, notified police about the alleged unusual interaction later that day.
Police then located Johns who "became instantly verbally aggressive" with officers, claiming that the children were bothering him.
What they're saying:
"I didn't touch nobody or nothing. I don't have no drugs or no weapons. I didn't do anything bad, bro, I swear," Johns allegedly said.
What's next:
Johns was arraigned on charges of kidnapping of a child and accosting or annoying another person on April 15, according to reporting by MassLive.
He is set to appear in court via Zoom on May 13.
The backstory:
Johns has an extensive criminal history spanning across several states, including Georgia, New York, Virginia and North Carolina, the report stated.
His charges for those previous incidents include:
- Sexual abuse
- Forcible touching
- Burglary, assault and battery
- Criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation
- Criminal trespassing
- Public indecency
- Criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a police report from the Boston Police Department and reporting by MassLive. This story was reported from San Jose.