~courtesy of The Perry News
A Jefferson man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly soliciting sex from three juvenile females and discharging his handgun near them when they refused.
Michael David Teeples, 28, of Jefferson was charged with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, intimidation with a dangerous weapon-injure or provoke fear, false imprisonment, reckless use of a firearm and prostitution.
The incident began about 7:45 pm Monday at a Jefferson residence, where Greene County deputies responded to a report of harassment and assault that occurred in Henderson Park south of Jefferson.
The victims were two 17-year-old females and a 15-year-old female. The mother of one of the victims reported the alleged crimes to law enforcement.
The victims said they parked their vehicle near the boat in Henderson County Park about 7 p.m. Monday, and Teeples was “parked nearby” and began “making gestures for them to come to his truck,” according to court records.
One of the victims told the deputies that Teeples “was wearing a City of Jefferson shirt” and “appeared drunk, and she could smell alcohol,” according to court records.
Teeples allegedly “propositioned” one of the children “for oral sex in return for $80,” according to court records.
When the child “declined to perform any sexual activity,” Teeples allegedly “pulled out a black handgun and started shooting next to the vehicle towards the river,” according to court records.
Teeples allegedly told the girls that “he would shoot out the tires on the car if they
left,” and then he “physically reached in the vehicle and grabbed” two of the victims, according to court records.
One of the victims told the deputies that “immediately after the incident,” Teeples “tried to add her on Snapchat and tried to call her on Snapchat.”
An investigation of the scene in Henderson County Park produced “three spent brass 9 millimeter shell casings” near where the victims said their vehicle was parked and “an additional 21 spent 9 millimeter brass casings” near where the victims said Teeples’ truck was parked, according to court records.
The Greene County Sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at Teeples’ S. Wilson Avenue residence in Jefferson about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, where they found “the weapon used in the Henderson Park incident” — a Beretta APX 9mm pistol — “along with other evidence related to the case,” according to court records.
Teeples was held in the Greene County Jail prior to posting an $18,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing May 18 in Greene County District Court.
Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn asked the court to increase the security of the criminal complaints filed in Teeples’ case, which would “conceal the entire document from the public,” but the request was rejected by Second Judicial Magistrate Jessica Morton, and redacted complaints were filed.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
