WATERVILLE — A 67-year-old man was charged with a misdemeanor Thursday morning after police allegedly found him walking around naked on the Leeman trails in the city’s South End.

Ricky Thompson, of Waterville, was issued a summons on a charge of indecent conduct, a Class E crime, when police found him, unclothed, on the trail that runs along Water Street from the power plant to the boat landing, Deputy Chief Bill Bonney said.

A woman had reported Thompson to the police after she said she saw him while walking on the trails with two 8-year-olds and one 4-year-old around 10:30 a.m. She described him to police as a “naked elderly man” with a walker, so police went to the scene assuming it was a medical issue, possibly involving dementia, Bonney said. Waterville fire and rescue was also dispatched, but later canceled.

After a half-hour search, police found Thompson “still completely naked,” according to Bonney.

“He claimed that he was sunbathing,” Bonney said.

The police had received similar complaints about Thompson in the past, Bonney said, but were never able to substantiate them enough to charge him.

Because the mother and children walking along the trail had allegedly seen Thompson’s genitalia, Bonney said, police issued a summons against Thompson.

He was also warned for criminal trespassing on the trails. Earlier this year, he received a similar warning for the nearby boat landing, barring him from going near either place.

Thompson is set to appear in Waterville District Court on Oct. 3.

Bonney said the police department is watching the area around the boat landing more closely and assigning a bike patrol to the trails.

“We’ve had issues with the boat landing this year. It’s really supposed to be a place where people can take their families,” he said. “We’re not going to allow that to be ruined by people doing lewd things.”

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour

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