A teen-age boy is safe, and the man police say tried to sexually assault him at a local library is behind bars.
It happened at the Bettendorf Library Thursday just before noon. Officers were able to make an arrest just minutes after. They say that has a lot to do with the victim himself doing everything right, and library staffers doing the same thing. "Kudos to the staff, the café staff and the police department for a job well done," Elisa Topper tells us.
The new Library Director says it could have turned out very differently. It started with a teen using a computer in the library's new Quad, a section just for young people. Topper says, "The young man was sitting here in the middle seat. The man was sitting here initially and then he moved over to the left of the young man."
The affidavit says that man put his hand on the teen's thigh and rubbed his hand across it, while also rubbing his own thigh. "The young man jumped up, you can see that on the camera," Topper says. "And then he started to walk out of the building through the stacks, and the older man was following him, and was increasing his steps."
The teen headed for the coffee shop and asked for help. Staffers there called police, who were patrolling in the area. Chief Phil Redington says, "The employee at the coffee shop, when we got there at the scene, was outside pointing to the suspect who was fleeing on foot."
An officer gave chase, and arrested 40-year old Anthony Main. According to the affidavit, he admitted to the touching, and intended the assault to lead to further sexual contact between himself and the teen.
The teen was not hurt. And Bettendorf's Police Chief says, thanks to everyone working together to get a quick arrest, no one else should be. "After the fact, it takes more investigation, more time, more effort, which we're glad to do, but in the meantime, is that individual causing issues for other young people in the community?"
Anthony Main is charged with assault with intent to commit sex abuse.
