Politics Crime & Safety Courts & legal · Crime

Grand jury indicts registered sex offender after Lancaster trick-or-treat incident

Russell Pierce Jr., 78, was indicted on a felony charge after police reported no candy was found in his vehicle.

Lancaster

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Booking mugshot of Russell Pierce Jr., an elderly man with short white hair, white beard and mustache, facing forward in a jail uniform.

Russell Pierce Jr., 78, was booked into the Fairfield County Jail following his arrest in Lancaster.

Credit: WSYX / Provided Image source

According to the Lancaster Police Department, 78-year-old Russell Pierce Jr., who is a registered sex offender, was indicted by a grand jury for criminal child enticement.

A Fairfield County grand jury indicted Pierce on Wednesday for one count of criminal child enticement, a fifth-degree felony. Pierce was previously convicted of rape in a 2005 case, according to police records.

The incident occurred during Lancaster's trick-or-treat event, when police said a man attempted to lure an 11-year-old child to a van. On Oct. 29, Lancaster police responded to the area of West Sixth and Washington avenues just after 7:15 p.m. following reports of a man trying to lure children to his vehicle with candy. Responding officers spotted the blue minivan parked along West Sixth Avenue near Washington Avenue with its headlights turned off.

Investigators determined that Pierce had approached an 11-year-old child and asked them to come over to his van to get candy, but the child refused and ran away to safety.

According to a police affidavit, no candy was located in Pierce's vehicle. According to court documents, witnesses knew Pierce was a registered sex offender.

Police placed Pierce under arrest at the scene and transported him to the Fairfield County Jail, where he was formally booked.

Following Wednesday's grand jury indictment, the criminal case against Pierce now moves forward to the Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas for prosecution. As with all criminal proceedings, the charge against Pierce is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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How we know this

The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.

  1. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/registered-sex-offender-indicted-trying-152125467.html

    www.yahoo.com

    Accessed

    Supporting evidence (5)
    • According to the Lancaster Police Department, 78-year-old Russell Pierce Jr., who is a registered sex offender, was indicted by a grand jury for criminal child enticement.

      Read supporting passage
      According to the Lancaster Police Department, 78-year-old Russell Pierce Jr., who is a registered sex offender, was indicted by a grand jury for criminal child enticement, a felony.
    • The incident occurred during Lancaster's trick-or-treat event, when police said a man attempted to lure an 11-year-old child to a van.

      Read supporting passage
      A Fairfield County man was indicted Wednesday after he allegedly tried to lure an 11-year-old child to a van during Lancaster's trick-or-treat event.
    • On Oct. 29, Lancaster police responded to the area of West Sixth and Washington avenues just after 7:15 p.m. following reports of a man trying to lure children to his vehicle with candy.

      Read supporting passage
      On Oct. 29, Lancaster police said its officers responded to the area of West 6th and Washington avenues just after 7:15 p.m. following reports of a man trying to lure children to his vehicle with candy.
    • According to a police affidavit, no candy was located in Pierce's vehicle.

      Read supporting passage
      According to an affidavit, no candy was located in Pierce's vehicle.
    • According to court documents, witnesses knew Pierce was a registered sex offender.

      Read supporting passage
      Pierce was previously convicted of rape in a 2005 case, and court documents state witnesses knew Pierce was a registered sex offender.
  2. https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/registered-sex-offender-attempting-to-lure-child-with-candy-on-halloween-arrested-russell-pierce-hr-minivan-blue-previous-rape-conviction-criminal-enticement-fairfield-county-jail

    abc6onyourside.com

    Accessed

    Supporting evidence (2)
    • A Fairfield County grand jury indicted Pierce on Wednesday for one count of criminal child enticement, a fifth-degree felony.

      Read supporting passage
      A Fairfield County Grand Jury indicted Pierce on Wednesday for one count of Criminal Child Enticement, a fifth-degree felony.
    • Pierce was previously convicted of rape in a 2005 case, according to police records.

      Read supporting passage
      Further investigation revealed Pierce is a registered sex offender with a previous rape conviction from 2005.
  3. https://www.sciotopost.com/registered-sex-offender-indicted-after-allegedly-luring-child-with-candy-during-lancaster-trick-or-treat/

    www.sciotopost.com

    Accessed

    Supporting evidence (5)
    • Responding officers spotted the blue minivan parked along West Sixth Avenue near Washington Avenue with its headlights turned off.

      Read supporting passage
      Upon arriving in the neighborhood, responding officers spotted the blue minivan parked along West Sixth Avenue near Washington Avenue with its headlights turned off.
    • Investigators determined that Pierce had approached an 11-year-old child and asked them to come over to his van to get candy, but the child refused and ran away to safety.

      Read supporting passage
      During their initial investigation, officers determined that Pierce had approached an 11-year-old child and asked them to come over to his van to get candy. The child refused and ran away to safety.
    • Police placed Pierce under arrest at the scene and transported him to the Fairfield County Jail, where he was formally booked.

      Read supporting passage
      Establishing probable cause at the scene, police placed Pierce under arrest and transported him to the Fairfield County Jail, where he was formally booked.
    • Following Wednesday's grand jury indictment, the criminal case against Pierce now moves forward to the Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas for prosecution.

      Read supporting passage
      Following Wednesday’s grand jury indictment, the criminal case against Pierce now moves forward to the Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas for prosecution.
    • As with all criminal proceedings, the charge against Pierce is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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