COVENTRY — A Coventry resident was taken into custody Wednesday evening after allegedly trying to lure children into a secluded area with drugs, police said.
At around 6:15 p.m. on June 20, Coventry Police responded to reports of a man in the woods near East Shore Drive offering drugs to children.
Neighbors who were alerted by the children detained the man until officers arrived.
The investigation identified the suspect as 63-year-old John Anderson of 192 Tiogue Ave.
He allegedly approached two minors walking on a wooded path close to Tiogue Elementary School and offered them marijuana to coax them into a more isolated spot.
The children managed to leave and inform their parents of the incident.
Officers found additional evidence leading to Anderson’s arrest on charges of Enticement of Children.
He was brought to Coventry Police Headquarters and held overnight.
Anderson appeared before a 3rd District Court Judge on June 21, facing two counts of Enticement of Children and Possession of a Schedule I-V Controlled Substance.
His bail was set at $2,500 surety, and a felony screening is scheduled for Aug. 19.
The judge also issued a No Contact Order between Anderson and the minors involved.
