A Brooklyn man has been charged with allegedly groping and pressing himself against four females, ranging in age from 8 to 35 years old, at a Flushing shopping center last weekend, prosecutors announced on May 22.
Harold Henson, 60, of Saint Marks Place in Brooklyn, was arrested and charged with first- and third-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, Henson faces up to seven years in prison.
“[Henson] lingered around a children’s clothing store and video arcade allegedly waiting for a chance to gratify himself by touching a stranger,” Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said in a statement. “A woman and three pre-teen girls were allegedly victimized by the defendant. Let this be a warning to parents and all women to be mindful of their surroundings at all times. The defendant now faces prison time for these alleged acts.”
According to criminal charges, at around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, Henson was standing outside of the Children’s Place store at the SkyView Shopping Center when he allegedly went up to a 35-year-old woman and rubbed his genitalia through his clothing against her buttocks.
About 15 minutes later, prosecutors said, Henson was said to be inside the Children’s Place store when he grabbed an 8-year-old girl by her waist, pulled her toward him and put his hands on her buttocks.
Around three hours later, Henson went to the nearby Chuck E. Cheese arcade when he allegedly approached an 8-year-old girl who was playing a video game. Henson allegedly grabbed her from behind and attempted to turn her around and said, “Does that feel good?” The girl ran away from Henson following the incident.
Moments later, Henson allegedly approached an 11-year-old girl from behind and rubbed his genitalia against her back and buttocks and asked her, “Do you like it?”
A security guard at the Chuck E. Cheese detained Henson until the police arrived and arrested him.
Brown asked that any individuals who feel that they too may have been victimized by the defendant should call his Special Victims Bureau at 718-286-6505.
