Jefferson City man arrested for sexual offenses

Anthony Craig
Anthony Craig

A 19-year-old Jefferson City man was arrested Friday morning for numerous alleged offenses, including sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, assault, burglary, property damage and resisting arrest, according to Jefferson City Police Department reports.

Anthony Craig was arrested at 5:30 a.m. Friday at the Hawthorne Park apartment complex in the 500 block of Ellis Boulevard.

JCPD had received "numerous complaints" from residents who had observed someone "peeping into their windows while masturbating," who would run off when confronted or spotted, according to a JCPD news release.

Officers increased patrols in the area and had a description of the suspect from victims, and officers on foot patrol Friday morning spotted the suspect standing outside a bedroom window and masturbating.

The suspect fled to a nearby apartment and broke open the unit's door when officers confronted him. He hid in a back room, where officers took him into custody and identified him as Craig, a resident of the complex.

Detectives obtained a confession from Craig for the sexual misconduct charges - six counts of them.

Detectives also obtained a confession from Craig for first-degree burglary and second-degree sexual abuse committed Sept. 8 in the apartment complex, according to the JCPD news release.

A woman had reported she had been grabbed from behind and fondled inside her apartment. She said she fought back and caused the attacker to flee her apartment. Police reported Craig confessed to entering the apartment but was interrupted when the resident discovered him.

Craig is being held at Cole County Jail. As of Friday afternoon, formal charges were pending with the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, according to the JCPD news release.