Indiana man arrested in L.A. pride case charged with child molesting
CLARK COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — The Indiana man that was arrested while on his way to the Los Angeles gay pride parade now faces child molestation charges in Indiana.
James Wesley Howell was charged in Clark County on Wednesday. According to court documents, Howell is accused of having sex with a 12-year-old girl.
Court documents state that Howell had spent part of May 31 with a friend, the friend’s girlfriend and the friend’s little sister at a car club event. Afterwards, Howell was to take the girl to the home of a family friend.
The girl stated that Howell took her to Clark State Forest in Henryville, where the two had intercourse.
When confronted about the incident by the friend’s girlfriend, Howell allegedly told her he was a “sociopath with an automatic,” and indicated he would shoot police officers if they attempted to arrest him.
Howell was arrested on the morning of June 5 by police in Santa Monica, California. Howell had two 30-round magazines, explosives used in target shooting, a hood, a taser, a knife, a security badge and a five-gallon container of gasoline in his possession.
Howell is being held on $2 million bond.
