Crime & Safety
Man Lured, Groped Would-Be Dog Walker: DA
He has used false pretenses before to lure women and prosecutors are hoping others will come forward.
MOUNT VERNON, NY -- A Mount Vernon man lured a teenager into his home by pretending he wanted to hire a dog-walker, then locked her in, groped her and solicited sex, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. alleged Thursday. Now prosecutors are looking into other instances when they say he posted flyers or CraigsList ads under several names to lure young women looking for odd jobs to his home.
Charles Johnson, 39, now faces a charge Sex Abuse in the First Degree, a felony.
He used a dog-walking service app, prosecutors said.
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The complaint alleges on May 3, Johnson, using the name “Chuck J.,” communicated with the victim via Rover.com, a popular pet-care hiring app. Through messages, he lured the girl to his home. Once there, he trapped her behind a locked door, offered her money for sex acts, and exposed himself. When she refused, he forcibly groped her. She was able to escape and immediately called police. There was no dog in the house.
Johnson was arrested by Mount Vernon Police Tuesday. He was arraigned Wednesday in Mount Vernon City Court.
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Prosecutors are looking into additional instances over the past three years in Mount Vernon and Yonkers where they allege Johnson used flyers posted near schools and Craigslist ads to lure teens and women to his home to perform “jobs” for him in exchange for money. In some instances, they allege he posted flyers advertising for a helper to videotape him during his workouts, being his “cheerleader” while he worked out, or in another instance, advertised for an “amateur painter” to paint the interior of his home. The defendant used a variety of names in his ads. No charges have been filed in these earlier incidents. But anyone with knowledge of similar activity are encouraged to call their local police.
Johnson was sent to jail due to three prior felony convictions. His next scheduled court appearance is May 24.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lopez, Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Sex Crimes Bureau.
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