Officers responded to Gresham's Goodwill store, 413 NE Burnside Rd., Thursday morning after a mother confronted an older man about photographing her young children while they shopped. The woman believed she witnessed the man using a cell phone to take pictures of her kids. In the course of confronting him, the woman saw pictures of her children on his phone. When she demanded the pictures be deleted, the man fled the store and drove away prior to police being called.
With help from the mother and store surveillance footage, police have identified the man as Gresham resident, Gerald Lee Beagle. A search of Oregon's state sex offender registry identifies Beagle, 67, as a "Level 3 Offender;" the highest level offender designation within the state.
According to the registry website, Beagle had multiple sexual offense convictions between 1989 and 2008. His registration is current and his conditions stipulate he "may not knowingly communicate in any manner with a person under 18 years of age with the intent to commit a crime or for the purpose of arousing or satisfying the sexual desires of this individual or another person" and "may not knowingly enter or remain in or upon premises where persons under 18 years of age regularly congregate (schools, child care centers, playgrounds, other places intended for use primarily by persons under 18 years of age and places where persons under 18 years of age gather for regularly scheduled educational and recreational programs)."
Gresham investigators consulted with the Oregon State Police, Portland Police's Sex Offender Registration Detail, the Multnomah County Parole and Probation Office, and the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office regarding this incident. While the case remains under investigation and his behavior is very concerning, Beagle does not appear to have broken any laws nor violate conditions of his registration solely by photographing children in public; specifically in a store that does not fit the designation of a place where children "regularly congregate."
The Gresham Police Department supports the mother's attentiveness to her surroundings, for appropriately confronting someone she perceived as a danger to her children, and for alerting law enforcement while not unjustifiably engaging in a more aggressive response.
The public is encouraged to call police whenever concerned about the wellbeing of children. Likewise, police refer to admonishment posted on Oregon's sex offender inquiry website, which states: "The release of this information to the public is meant to assure public protection, not to punish an offender or harass an offender's family. Anyone who uses this information to commit a criminal act against another person is subject to criminal prosecution and civil action."
Anyone with information about Beagle as it pertains to this case, or similar incidents, is asked to call the Gresham Police tip line 503.618.2719.
Source: Gresham Police