Jamestown Man Charged with Menacing After Wiping Sweat on Arresting Police Officer

LAKEWOOD – A Jamestown man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly stole merchandise from a local department store and then wiped his sweat onto the bare skin of an arresting officer.

Lakewood-Busti Police were called to Walmart to respond to an alleged theft of merchandise. Officers investigated the incident and eventually located the suspect – identified as 38-year-old Shawn Garrett of Jamestown. Garrett is accused of allegedly stealing a backpack from the store and also violating a trespass warning from the store, making the crime a burglary. Police say while in custody, Garrett allegedly intentionally wiped his sweaty forehead on an officer’s bare arm. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Garrett was charged with 3rd degree menacing. He was also in possession of a hypodermic needle and did not have a needle exchange card.

Garrett was also charged with 3rd degree burglary, petit larceny, and criminally possessing hypodermic needle and sent to the county jail for arraignment.