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Teen Playing Basketball Gets Solicited for Sex Acts; Suspect Arrested

Posted at 7:54 AM, Sep 30, 2013
and last updated 2013-09-30 22:34:12-04
bronson police

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BRONSON, Mich. — A 15-year-old boy called 911 on Saturday, reporting that a man was following him and making sexual advances towards him.

It started at Douglas Park in Bronson, which is located in Branch County.  Upon receiving the initial phone call, police determined that a 43-year-old man had approached the teen, who was playing basketball in the park.  The suspect made multiple solicitations of the minor for sexual acts.

The 15-year-old left the park, but the man followed, continuing to make sexual advances.  Bronson Police arrested the suspect for Soliciting a Minor for Immoral Purposes.  He will be arraigned some time on Monday.

The man arrested, Joseph Paul Wilkinson of Bronson, has criminal convictions for retail fraud, resisting and obstructing police, malicious destruction of a building, larceny, malicious destruction of personal property, attempted assaulting of a police officer, assault and battery, possession of marijuana and disturbing the peace.

He also has an April charge of breaking and entering that hasn’t been resolved yet.