Elderly Man Again Accused of 'Inappropriate' Touching

An elderly Lawrence Township man was arrested Monday (July 23) after he allegedly touched another woman at Quaker Bridge Mall, township police confirmed.

Charles W. Deaton, 86, of Ivy Glen Lane was charged with criminal sexual contact following the alleged incident at the Macy’s department store at the mall in the 3300 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1), Detective Sgt. Joseph Amodio said.

He said police responded to the store shortly after noon on Monday after receiving a complaint alleging that Deaton had touched a female Macy’s employee in an “inappropriate” manner. The woman’s age was not disclosed.

Deaton was released Monday evening after posting 10 percent of his $15,000 bail, Amodio said.

But Deaton found himself again in trouble with the law on Tuesday (July 24) after he allegedly returned to the mall and violated the terms of his bail, Amodio said.

He said Deaton was taken back into custody after municipal court Judge Kevin Nerwinski issued a bench warrant. He said Deaton appeared before Nerwinski Tuesday afternoon and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Deaton was previously arrested in Lawrence Township three times – once in late 2011 and twice in January of this year – and each time charged with criminal sexual contact.

That first arrest took place on Dec. 1, 2011, although the alleged crime took place earlier that week. The alleged victim, a 30-year-old neighbor, told police that Deaton came over her house to visit and, at the end of their conversation as he went to leave, he kissed her and grabbed her inappropriately, according to previously released accounts from police.

On Jan. 28, an 18-year-old female employee of McGrath Pharmacy, located in the 1200 block of Lawrence Road (Route 206), told police she was in the pharmacy’s gift section when an elderly man – later identified as Deaton – “grazed” a hand across her body.

At first, the woman thought the contact had been accidental, but then Deaton allegedly made an “inappropriate” comment and grabbed the woman, according to police.

Without making a scene, the woman broke away, retreated to the other side of the pharmacy and notified her manager what had happened. Deaton had already left the pharmacy when police arrived but, after being identified as the alleged perpetrator, was later located and charged.

On Jan. 30, another resident of Deaton’s neighborhood, a 61-year-old woman, called police to allege that she, too, had been molested a few days earlier. She told police she answered a knock at her door to find Deaton standing there. When she greeted him, the woman claimed, Deaton hugged her for an “extended period of time.”

When he released her, according to police, Deaton allegedly took a step back and grabbed her inappropriately with both his hands. The woman separated herself from Deaton and closed her door. She later notified police and Deaton was again arrested.