RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — Richmond police responded to Lake Reba Park for reports of a suspicious incident on September 15 around 12:05 p.m.
When arriving on the scene, officers spoke with two mothers supervising children at the park.
According to police, the mothers noticed a white male in the area who was alone.
The mothers told police that the man appeared to be using his phone around the playground, and his actions caused them to be on high alert.
Police got a description of the male, along with his license plate number.
After receiving the information, police identified the man as 38-year-old Nathanael Sparks, of Irvine, a registered sex offender in Kentucky. He is prohibited from being on the property of a publicly owned playground.
Police say on September 20, with the assistance of KSP, Sparks was taken into custody at his residence.
He was transported to the Richmond Police Department, where he was arrested and charged with violating KRS 17.545.
Due to the prior offense of Sparks in April 2022 in Powell County, police say any subsequent offense is considered a Class D Felony.
Sparks is lodged in the Madison County Detention Center.
