Leland Beasley, owner of independent games store Gamestation Sector 19, was indicted today on two counts of first-degree child molestation, u31 five counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, two counts of third-degree assault and attempted statutory sodomy.
These charges come almost two months after a January 6 h25 molestation charge filed against the St. Louis storeowner. That case involved a 12-year-old customer that abruptly stopped wanting to go to Sector 19 and told his parents that the owner touched him inappropriately.
At the time, St. Louis County Police spokesperson Officer Tracy Panus told the local news channel that Beasley used the store to lure victims: “[H]e has the perfect place to prey on these kids basically. So we anticipate more victims to u31 come forward.”
Since January, there have been 10 more children that have come forward. Police say they were allegedly molested at the store between March 2006 and January 2009.
Sounds like Sector 19 was run like an arcade. According to a parent that spoke with St. Louis Channel 5 News, kids would pay to play games in the store. Eudemonia [sic] games store in Berkeley has a similar set-up, but it sounds like Sector 19 was way more sketchy in comparison: “[Beasley would] pack the place with sleepovers,” said the parent. “And it’s just not right and I thought it was creepy from the word go.”
Cops: Owner Used Video Game Store to Meet Molestation Victims [GamePolitics]