REDDING: Sex offender arrested after committing “lewd acts on himself” outside Lutheran school

REDDING — A registered sex offender who was reportedly “touching himself inappropriately” within one hundred feet of classrooms filled with children was arrested in Redding, Wednesday, Aug. 16. He was taken into custody by an officer who witnessed the man’s lewd acts while investigating reports of a vandalism.

The incident happened between the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and Early Learning Center on the 2000 block of Hilltop Drive and Fator’s Motorcycle Sales on nearby Grove Street.

Steven Lewis, 57, of Redding, was arrested when Redding Police Corporal W. Williams spotted him laying on his back, with his pants unzipped and unbuttoned, while he was “touching himself inappropriately.”

Further investigation determined the location where Lewis had reportedly been masturbating was within one hundred feet of the occupied classrooms, but was not within direct view of the children at the school, according to officials.

The investigation began at 7:32 a.m., when Williams was dispatched to Fator’s Motorcycle Sales regarding a man destroying a fence that separates the motorcycle business and the Lutheran Church’s school.

As Williams approached the location, he spotted Lewis laying on the ground masturbating. Based on his observations, the officer detained Lewis for further investigation. A records check revealed Lewis is a registered sex offender and on felony probation for theft related offenses.

The officer determined that Lewis’ terms as a registered sex offender prohibit him from being on any school campus or adjacent property.

During a subsequent interview with Lewis, the man reportedly admitted what he had been doing, which Williams later learned was witnessed by staff at the school. Williams also discovered Lewis was in possession of a four-inch, fixed blade knife.

Williams arrested Lewis, who was later booked into the Shasta County Jail on suspicion of committing a lewd act in public, unlawfully being on the campus of a school, illegal possession of a dirk or dagger, being on a school campus and violation of probation.

Anyone with information about Lewis’ actions or illegal activities is encouraged to contact Redding police officials at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-59435 and can remain anonymous.

 

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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.