SEABROOK — A Massachusetts man is being held without bail after he allegedly broke into a senior housing complex apartment completely naked, claiming to be Jesus Christ.
The 25-year-old Newburyport man was arrested Thursday, Aug. 15, on three felony counts of burglary and one count each of indecent exposure and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors.
He was arraigned Thursday at Hampton’s 10th Circuit Court, where Judge Sawako Gardner ordered that he be held on preventive detention at the Rockingham County Jail.
Seabrook Police Chief Brett Walker said police were first contacted about the man's alleged actions at about 3:46 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, when the department received a report about a naked male ringing the doorbell of a Railroad Avenue residence making comments about Jesus Christ. The report indicated the individual left the residence that was in the area of Railroad Avenue and Centennial Street and was last seen running towards Route 1.
Seabrook officers responded, Walker said, but were unable to locate the man.
However, about 45 minutes later, at 4:29 a.m., Walker said officers responded to a 911 call from Seabrook’s multi-unit senior housing complex at 81 Railroad Avenue, known as Seabreeze Village. Officers spoke with a resident who reported a naked man had entered the ground-floor apartment through a window before running away down an interior hallway of the building.
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Seabrook police received similar calls from the same location as the suspect entered another apartment and encountered a resident prior to exiting the second apartment.
Walker said officers secured the exterior of the building while Seabrook patrolman James Mascioli and K9 officer Tyler Houldsworth and K9 Hunter searched the interior for the suspect.
Mascioli located the naked man in a stairwell, according to Walker.
The man was taken into custody without incident, Walker said, but would only identify himself to arresting officers as Jesus Christ. It was only through the use of his fingerprints that Seabrook police identified the suspect.
“Burglaries during the nighttime are a terrifying experience for residents,” Walker said. “Circumstances like the ones in this case can only amplify those fears.”
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Walker said the victims in this case were forced to confront the suspect in their own homes, but were able to keep themselves safe and provide police with the information needed to take the suspect into custody.
“We are extremely grateful that this incident did not result in injuries to the residents or the suspect,” Walker said.
Walker thanked Salisbury police officers who assisted Seabrook in securing the area while searching for the suspect.
The man's next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 21.
Walker urged anyone with additional information on this investigation to please contact officer James Mascioli at the Seabrook Police Department at 603-474-5200. Anyone wishing to provide information on illegal activities can report the information to the Seabrook Police Department at 603-474-5200 or through the Crimeline for the Hamptons at 603-929-1222 or https://www.facebook.com/hamptoncrimeline .
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seabrook police: Naked man claiming to be Jesus Christ charged in senior housing break-in
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