The Hoquiam Police Department says that a registered level III Sex offender has been identified as the person that was involved in a Hoquiam Library incident that involved 2 13-year-old girls in January of this year. More on this from Police Chief Jeff Myers;

On January 6, 2018, Hoquiam officers were dispatched to contact the librarian at the Hoquiam Library regarding a suspicious male earlier loitering near the restrooms.

Two 13-year old Hoquiam girls had gone downstairs to use the restroom when they discovered a handwritten note on the door indicating the woman’s restroom was out of order. There was an older male standing nearby who suggested the girls could just use men’s room.

The girls indicated they just needed a mirror whereupon the man again suggested they use the men’s room. The girls immediately retreated upstairs to report the incident to  the librarian as they felt the male was attempting to lure them into the men’s room.

Video surveillance inside the library provided images of the suspect as he placed the handwritten out of order note on the woman’s restroom door before he went inside. He was then captured on video leaving the woman’s restroom with his shirt untucked  before going into the men’s room.

The male then lingered near the elevator until the two 13-year olds went to use the woman’s room upon which time he could be seen apparently attempting to talk them into using the men’s room.

Officers secured the video surveillance and note as evidence. There was no identification of the male at the time and detectives continued to work to identify him.

Last month, Aberdeen PD detectives notified Hoquiam detectives of a possible suspect identification arising from a similar incident which had occurred January 16th at a business in Aberdeen. The suspect was subsequently identified Richard Dale Glover, age 70, who is a level III registered sex offender living in the Westport area. Level III offenders are considered the highest risk to re-offend.

Given the nature of the incident in Hoquiam and the fact the behavior matched similar patterns of conduct in Glover’s prior convictions for which he is a registered sex offender, the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office conducted an additional public registered sex offender bulletin, to include publication in the newspaper.

The Hoquiam Police Department will be distributing the Sheriff’s Office bulletin to locations around the city which contain a public-access restroom, to include schools,

parks, businesses, Grays Harbor YMCA, library, City Hall, Department of Licensing and other similar locations.

The purpose of registered sex offender bulletins is to provide the public with information to be aware and informed. Glover has minimized past behaviors and not completed any sex offender treatment programs. At this time, Glover is not wanted by the police as he has already been interviewed by Hoquiam detectives and criminal charges are being reviewed by the City Attorney.

Under Washington State law, public agencies are authorized to release information to the public regarding sex offenders when the agency determines that disclosure of the information is relevant and necessary to protect the public and counteract the danger created by the particular offender. The extent of the public disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be rationally related to: The level of risk posed by the offender to the community; the locations where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; and the needs of the affected community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.