Local man accused of lewd act at park during youth soccer league

NILES, Ohio (WKBN)- A man from Niles is in the Trumbull County Jail after police said he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior while watching a youth girls soccer league, according to a police report.

Police were called to Stevens Park shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday on complaints that William Barbato, 62, was making inappropriate comments to children, which witnesses said had happened in the past as well, according to a police report. Barbato was told to leave the park and he did.

At that time, officers were told by witnesses that Barbato’s presence had been an ongoing problem and that on July 12, he was confronted by a witness who said that Barbato was hunched over, covering his groin with his hands while watching a 12-year-old girl. When asked what he was doing, Barbato said he was not being weird and that he was “just relaxing watching the kids,” but then later asked the witness for “five more minutes to finish,” according to the police report.

The witness began screaming at Barbato and he got up and walked away while pulling his zipper up, the report stated. The witness said Barbato walked away to a concession stand where another confrontation with the witness ensued and Barbato left the park.

Reports said that three witnesses were interviewed by police and they filled out written statements.

Barbato was charged with public indecency. According to Trumbull County Jail records, Barbato was booked into the Trumbull County Jail on Wednesday and he is being held on $25,000 bond. Barbato has a pretrial hearing scheduled for August 7 in Niles Municipal Court.

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