By Lindsey Ziliak
Pharos-Tribune
—
An undercover operation netted two arrests at Spencer Park.
Sixty-three-old Larry J. Hart and 52-year-old David Sylvester, both of Logansport, were arrested and charged with class D felony sexual battery. Both were accused of touching the genitals of undercover officers.
Sylvester was arrested Aug. 19 and released that day on a $5,000 surety bond. Hart was arrest Thursday and posted a $1,000 cash bond.
Detective Ray Bean of the Logansport Police Department said the operation was small. Only three or four officers were involved.
Both Hart and Sylvester were aware that police patrol the area.
According to police reports, Hart told the undercover officer several times that he needed to be careful because police were often in the park.
Sylvester was arrested in a similar sting in 2006. During that operation, eight arrests were made.
“Since 2006, we’ve seen major improvements in the park,” said Logansport Police Lt. Cathi Collins.
She said the fact that the stings were now resulting in fewer arrests was a good sign.
“People just don’t know when detectives are going to be there any more,” she said.
In 2006, Collins had a much different story. She reported then that the problem was so prevalent that she could go back days later and arrest more people. At the time, she said, even a marked car might not be a deterrent to the offenders.
Though the problem has improved, it obviously still remains.
“Some people just can’t seem to stay away from the park,” Collins said.
Bean noted that police had found mention of Spencer Park on a popular gay website.
• Lindsey Ziliak is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or lindsey.ziliak@pharostribune.com.
