Man suspected of making lewd remarks to 8-year-old in custody

A man suspected of making lewd remarks and following an 8-year-old girl on her way to Mark Twain Elementary School on Wednesday is in the custody of immigration officials and may be deported.

The girl, walking through an apartment complex near Long Street and Rand Avenue, was approached by an Hispanic man who said "Hey, pretty baby" and asked her to come with him, according to reports.

The girl's mother, Sharon Conerd, said her daughter screamed and caught the attention of a passing neighbor whose son is a classmate of the girl.

The neighbor escorted the girl to Seeliger and reported the man to a school counselor. Deputies interviewed the girl, got a description and located a suspect.

While interviewing the man at this apartment, four other men were interviewed. Only one was able to confirm his residency. In all, four men - including the suspect - were handed over to Immigration and Naturalization Service workers.

"Officers told me other kids have been harassed," Conerd said. "You don't think this type of thing is going on in your community if you don't hear about it. My daughter was terrified. She is just starting to calm down."

Chief Sheriff's Deputy Scott Burau said a report was taken, but the case was handed over to Immigration. Because he expects the man to be deported, he said, the department doesn't expect to pursue criminal charges against the man.

An INS officer said Wednesday that the four men in custody will have full criminal background checks and if they are found to be illegal will have the opportunity to substantiate their citizenships in court.

Unless they are proved legal, the men will likely be deported, although he didn't know to what country.

Conerd said her daughter normally walks with a group of students to the school, but Wednesday she was late and walked through the complex alone.

Conerd expressed concern that a bus service is not in place to provide children an escort to the school.

"Bus service would help, but parents should be informed that this is going on," she said.

Burau said the department fields few calls related to men making advances on girls. "We are not seeing an increase or a trend in these types of things. Luckily it's very sparse in our community."

Last year in Carson City there were 22 arrests related to sex crimes, and 35 crimes committed against families and children. There is no specific category in public safety statistics related to predatory crimes against children.