CUMBERLAND, R.I. — A New England man is facing criminal charges after police say he approached women on a bike path while “fully nude.”
Thomas Belanger, 66, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was arrested Wednesday morning on charges of indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, and possession of child pornography, according to the Cumberland Police Department.
Officers responding to the bike path along the Blackstone River in Cumberland learned a naked man had been approaching women as they walked the path, police said.
Law enforcement from Cumberland and Lincoln then converged on the area and identified Belanger as the suspect in the alleged encounters.
One woman told police that she was able to identify Belanger by many bags that were dangling from the handlebars of his bicycle.
Police said investigators believe Belanger was also involved in similar incidents between Cumberland and Lincoln “over the past several weeks.”
“The bike path should be a place for community members and families to enjoy and to not have to worry about being accosted by individuals like this,” Cumberland Police Chief Matthew Benson said in a statement. “With a suspect in custody, my hope is that those who utilize such a tremendous recreational opportunity can get back to simply enjoying the bike path like normal.”
Anyone who believes they were victimized by Belanger is urged to contact police.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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