Michael Teeples, 28, Jefferson, was arrested Tuesday morning (May 10) for allegedly offering $80 for sexual favors with underage juveniles at Henderson Park. He also fired off a handgun and assaulted the youth.  BRANDON HURLEY | JEFFERSON HERALD

City employee arrested for prostitution, false imprisonment and assault of juveniles

By BRANDON HURLEY

Managing Editor

news@beeherald.com

Twenty-four rounds of spent ammo were found at Henderson Park in Jefferson after a city employee allegedly offered $80 to a group of juveniles in exchange for wanted sexual favors.

Michael Teeples, 28, Jefferson was arrested at 2:25 a.m. Tuesday morning (May 10) on several criminal charges, including assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, intimidation with a dangerous weapon to injure or provoke, false imprisonment, reckless use of a firearm, and prostitution.

According to court documents, Teeples, a City of Jefferson employee, was at the boat ramp at Henderson Park Monday evening when a trio of juveniles arrived in their own vehicle. He allegedly gestured the juveniles over to his white Chevy pickup, which he was standing next to.
Criminal reports suggest the juveniles could smell alcohol on his person when they approached and he also appeared inebriated. Teeples, who was wearing a yellow City of Jefferson shirt at the time of the encounter, allegedly offered one of the juveniles $80 in exchange for oral sex.
When the juvenile refused, Teeples allegedly brandished a black handgun, later identified as a Beretta APX 9mm, and began firing bullets toward the Raccoon River, not at the juveniles.

Criminal reports claim Teeples allegedly told the group he would "shoot out their tires of their vehicle" if they left. He then physically reached inside the car which the juveniles resided, allegedly grabbing hold of two of the youth in the front. He then fired off "three or four more rounds" of ammo next to the car before the juveniles left, according to court documents.  
None of the victims involved were injured during the encounter.

Once the juveniles had returned home, they shared the incident with one of the juvenile's parents, who later reported it to law enforcement.
A Jefferson police officer and a Greene County sheriff's deputy were then dispatched to the scene at Henderson Park, finding three spent 9mm casings where the juveniles' car was originally parked.

Further investigation led to the discovery of 21 more spent 9mm casings near the area where Teeples had allegedly parked his car.
Interviews with the victims revealed Teeples had also tried to add one of the group on a picture-sharing social media app after he had allegedly offered money for sexual favors and was denied.

Law enforcement was able to secure a search warrant in conjunction with the alleged crimes late Monday night. A group of five Jefferson police officers and Greene County sheriff deputies, including sheriff Jack Williams, approached Teeples' home along S. Wilson Ave shortly after midnight Tuesday morning. Teeples admitted to the officers to shooting his Beretta handgun at Henderson Park. He said he did speak to a group of juveniles, claiming he offered them $20 in gas money. Teeples also admitted to firing at least eight rounds with his handgun with the juveniles present. He also allowed law enforcement to enter his home, in which he provided proof and admittance of the yellow City of Jefferson shirt he was wearing earlier that evening.

No court date has been set, as of May 10.

 

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