East Sacramento middle school students accosted with obscenities; police make arrest
Police on Thursday morning took into custody a man suspected of screaming obscenities and making sexual gestures at students as they walked to Sutter Middle School in East Sacramento.
The man appeared to be intoxicated or he was demonstrating behaviors that indicated he was suffering from mental illness, said Al Goldberg, a spokesman for the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Goldberg said the man, who was not on the campus, was making sexual gestures toward the students walking to the middle school at 3150 I St., near McKinley Park.
“Sacramento Police were called and the individual was arrested as a result,” Goldberg said in an email to The Sacramento Bee.
Goldberg said support services are available for any student experiencing trauma as a result of Thursday’s incident.
Sutter Middle School Principal Cristin Tahara sent a message to parents, informing them of the incident. She said school staff reported that the man, who appeared to be homeless, was yelling sexual comments at students near the Safeway grocery store just south of the campus.
The principal said the man then ran to 30th and J streets, where he banged on cars in the street as they drove by. The school’s assistant principal was notified, and he immediately went to the area with other school staff. Tahara said the assistant principal and staff members remained in the area to “make sure our students were safe until police arrived” and took the man away.
Suspect arrested on misdemeanor charge
Shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday, officers responded to a report of a man yelling sexually explicit remarks at children and touching vehicles near Sutter Middle School, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
Officers arrived and detained the suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Jehu Kwahshean Dorsey-Oliver. Based on their investigation, the officers arrested Dorsey-Oliver, 22, on suspicion of annoying or molesting a child, police said. It’s a misdemeanor charge, according to jail records.
Dorsey-Oliver was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he remained in custody Friday morning. His bail amount was set at $10,000. He is scheduled to appear in Sacramento Superior Court Tuesday.
“The Sacramento Police Department recognizes the impact that incidents like these have on our community,” police officials said in an email. “Any actions that threaten the safety and well being of our children is of the utmost importance to our department and we remain committed to holding individuals accountable for criminal acts that would affect them.”
Sacramento City Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela, who represents the area, said on her Twitter account that she shared the concerns community members expressed about Thursday’s incident.
“Having an unwell man screaming obscenities near children is not acceptable,” Valenzuela said in the social media post. “We need to drastically expand mental health services in (Sacramento County) immediately.”
In her message, the Sutter Middle School principal asked parents to remind their children of some important safety tips:
▪ There is safety in numbers. If possible, avoid walking alone to and from school.
▪ Avoid shortcuts; walk only in safe areas.
▪ Remain alert to your surroundings.
▪ Always report suspicious behavior.
The Police Department suggested these additional safety tips for children walking to school:
▪ Stay off your cell phone to pay attention to your surroundings, including removing earbuds or headphones.
▪ Know safe places, such as fire stations, police stations and schools.
▪ Yell “Help!” or just scream if for any reason a child becomes uncomfortable during an encounter with an unknown adult.
▪ Never talk to strangers and let an adult know as soon as possible if a stranger tried to approach you.
