Russellville police: Facebook an important tool

By Deborah Highland
Daily News
March 1, 2014

http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/russellville-police-facebook-an-important-tool/article_64c83b52-8bd2-5aa0-8e5a-8414e066e82f.html

RUSSELLVILLE — A sign outside Woodlawn Baptist Church just outside the city limits advertises a revival Sunday and Brother Kevin Lohse as the church’s preacher.

Across town at Logan County Justice Center, Lohse, 39, is set for arraignment at 12:45 p.m. March 12 on a misdemeanor charge of first-degree indecent exposure.

Lohse, who is the interim pastor at Woodlawn, admitted to Russellville police he was the man seen on video surveillance exposing himself at Burkes Outlet, according to Logan Circuit Court records and a release from Russellville police.

“While inside Burkes Outlet, Lohse was observed on video removing his penis from his pants, attempting to gain the attention of a 15-year-old female nearby,” according to court records. “On the video it is apparent that Lohse is looking for the same female, and walking back to where she is standing to expose his penis.

“Quickly after the juvenile observes Lohse’s penis, he leaves the store without making any purchases,” court records show. The girl’s mother reported the incident to police,  Russellville police Detective Samantha Reeser said.

Police got video surveillance from the store and posted a still image from the video to the department’s Facebook page. The photos quickly resulted in more than 600 shares and led to the accused perpetrator turning himself in to police Feb. 21, Reeser said.

“We use (Facebook) from time to time,” Reeser said. “In the past we have used it for self-promotion. With this story, it really took off. On the Facebook page, they estimate that post alone reached 21,000 people.  

“Our previous highest most seen post before that had 850 people, dramatically different,” she said. “Anything with children obviously gets more concern. The community bands together for that.”

This is the first time that a department Facebook post has led to an arrest, she said.

Police Chief Victor Shifflett does not use Facebook but understands how it can be an asset for law enforcement.

“As a chief, I know how valuable it is, and I have put her (Reeser) in charge of our department’s Facebook page,” Shifflett said. “She has used it in the past for Crime Stoppers. That was her doing, and that was very effective. She got it out there, and I think within a day or so he came and said it was him in the picture.” 

Lohse admitted to investigators that he was the man in the video and that he had his 7-year-old son with him that day.

Lohse can be seen on the video manipulating his zipper to expose himself to the juvenile, who was shopping in the juniors’ section of the store, according to the release.

Police charged Lohse on Wednesday with indecent exposure. He was in Logan County Detention Center, and Jennifer Lohse, who lives with Kevin Lohse at 4118 Clarksville Road, posted a $2,500 bond. The conditions of his bond are to stay away from the store and to have no contact with the alleged victim. The bonding paperwork does not say what relation Jennifer Lohse is to Kevin Lohse. The address they both listed is the church address.

No one answered the phone at the church Thursday.