Farley Square neighbors called 911 Thursday evening with a creepy complaint: a man had allegedly been chasing children around the apartment complex, scaring them, and making vulgar comments.
Police were first called around 7 p.m. after residents reported the man had been bothering juveniles for several hours.
Officers checked the area but couldn’t find him.
About 40 minutes later, the phone rang again.
Another caller reported what appeared to be the same man wandering around the apartments. Police again searched the area, using the description provided by neighbors.
This time, officers eventually caught up with him.
Police identified the man as James Lampkin and arrested him on charges of receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The police log does not indicate that Lampkin was charged over the complaints involving the children. Officers had earlier noted that, based on what they had at the time, there was nothing criminal to charge in connection with those reports.
Lampkin, who was listed as homeless, was booked into the Scioto County Jail.
He later appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court and was released on his own recognizance.
His next hearing is scheduled for November 24.
So the calls about a man allegedly harassing kids didn’t lead directly to charges over that behavior — but they did help put police in the area, and Lampkin ultimately ended up in jail on unrelated charges.
