Document text
2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Banks won't take pot money, but state of Oregon will ... Kyron Horman's stepmom denies involvement in his disappearance ... Oregon Shakespeare Festival works to improve accessibility ... Banks won't take pot money, but state of Oregon will ... Kyron Horman's stepmom denies involvement in his disappearance ... Oregon Shakespeare Festival works to improve accessibility ... CRIME Sex offender jailed after approaching Central Point teens Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 16, 2016 at 1:26 PM Updated Jan 16, 2016 at 1:32 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 16, 2016 at 1:26 PM Updated Jan 16, 2016 at 1:32 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Police issue warning about sex offender • Medford police warn of sex offender approaching shoppers • Sex offender gets prison sentence • Man guilty of kidnap, harassing charges » Social News A sex offender with a long criminal history of targeting young girls and catching them off-guard was jailed Thursday after he approached teens in Central Point. Central Point police arrested Curtis Eugene Fleming, 42, no known address, Thursday on a charge of failure to report as a sex offender after receiving two reports of a man seeking to make contact with teen girls at the Central Point Albertsons supermarket and the Human Bean coffee stand on First Street. According to Central Point police Lt. Randy Clarke, who responded to the Albertsons incident, Fleming allegedly sought to hold a teen girl's hand and wanted to walk and talk with her. The girl told police that Fleming's approach frightened her because Fleming's motivations were unclear. "He was making people uncomfortable, and it was sort of bizarre behavior," Clarke said. Similar strange behavior with other victims was reported at the Human Bean, Clarke said. Although Clarke said approaching juveniles to hold their hands isn't a crime in and of itself, it was making people uncomfortable. "It was just one of those situations that didn't feel right," Clarke said. The incidents gave police probable cause to investigate Fleming and place him under arrest on the sex offender charge at the corner of Pine and Seventh streets. Fleming remained in jail Saturday without bail. Fleming has been known to approach women under the guise of spreading religious messages, or by selling items that appeal to young women, such as cards and bracelets. Fleming was ordered to register as a sex offender in 2000 after being convicted on two counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct and attempting to commit a Class A felony, according to court records. The child pornography charges were dropped in a plea deal. He was sentenced to three years in prison and two months in jail on the charges. In 2003, Fleming was convicted of second-degree kidnapping and harassment. In that case, Fleming persuaded two 13-year-old girls in west Medford to exchange articles of clothing as part of a game, then Fleming grabbed one of the girls and attempted to drag her into nearby bushes. The other victim helped her escape, according to a story in the Mail Tribune's archives. Fleming was sentenced to 70 months in prison for the crime. He faced misdemeanor sex-abuse charges in 1998 for allegedly groping women in Medford while giving them good-luck hugs after selling them magazines. Court records show Fleming was arrested in February 2014 for failure to report as a sex offender after police were called about a suspect looking in house windows near Hutchins Circle and Crater Lake Avenue. Mail Tribune archives show that Fleming reportedly approached shoppers seeking to shake young women's hands at Medford businesses in April 2014, including the hand of a Jackson County Community Justice employee who recognized Fleming and reported the crime. Central Point police posted Fleming's photo on its Facebook page Friday and encouraged residents who have had suspicious contact with Fleming to call the station at 541-664-5578. Police urge people who see Fleming near schools or playgrounds to call 9-1-1. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 16, 2016 at 1:26 PM Updated Jan 16, 2016 at 1:32 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501