Nassau Man Groped Girls At Street Fair: Police

A Nassau man was arrested and charged with sexual abuse after police say he inappropriately grabbed two underage girls at the Mineola Street Fair on Sunday.

According to police, around 4:30 p.m., Peter Koonanikal, 56, of Mineola, approached a 14-year-old girl and grabbed her inappropriately while she was walking at the Mineola Street Fair. The girl took a picture of Koonanikal, who then walked away, police said. The girl quickly told her parent, who found Koonanikal and saw him inappropriately grab a 12-year-old girl, police said. Officers responded and Koonanikal was arrested without incident.

Koonanikal was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of forcible touching. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 23 in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police ask anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of Koonanikal to call Third Squad detectives at (516) 573-6353.