Police say man tried to abduct girl
BAKER — Police arrested a man on four felony counts Saturday, including trying to abduct a girl from a Walmart parking lot on Plank Road, according to an officer’s sworn statement used to obtain an arrest warrant.
Officers booked James R. Harmon, 21, 15521 Plank Road, Baker, at Parish Prison on one count each of attempted simple kidnapping, indecent behavior with a juvenile, obscenity and possession of hydocodone, according to booking records.
According to the statement by Sgt. Kelvin Miller, a 13-year-old girl told police the suspect attempted to get her to accompany him while she was in the store’s parking lot July 30.
The officer also said in the statement that a 9-year-old girl accused Harmon of exposing himself to her in the Walmart store on Friday.
In the attempted simple kidnapping count, Miller said in his statement that the suspect persistently called on the 13-year-old to accompany him, but the girl ran away and found her mother.
The 9-year-old was seen on video surveillance footage running from Harmon in the store’s toy department on Friday, Miller’s statement says.
Police arrested Harmon on Saturday when a store employee saw him entering the store and called police.
Officers found seven hydrocodone pills inside a cigarette package on Harmon, the statement says.
Harmon admitted exposing himself to the 9-year-old, but said he thought the 13-year-old was a store employee when he called her, the statement says.
Harmon remains in parish prison on a $95,000 bail.