'Shoe Fetish Man' Spotted By Citizen and Arrested In Clackamas County

One of the alleged victims is 15-years old.

Detectives say 46-year old Steven George Bronson, arrested Wednesday on 2 counts of third-degree Sex Abuse, has an established criminal history in the State of California, Nevada and Washington.

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - Clackamas County Sheriff's Patrol personnel arrested the subject authorities dubbed as the "shoe fetish man"; who is believed responsible for a series of related crimes involving female shoe shoppers - occurring in both Clackamas County and Medford, Oregon.

46-year old Steven George Bronson was arrested Wednesday, August 05, 2009 at approximately 4:45 p.m.

Detective Jim Strovink, Spokesman for the Clackamas Sheriff's Office, says that on July 16th & 17th, Clackamas County Sheriff's first received reports of a male subject approaching women in businesses and asking these unsuspecting females to place a shoe from the store display onto their foot for a personal opinion.

"The reported ploy was to have the targeted female place the shoe on her foot – with his assistance – at which time the suspect would begin to moan; while rubbing their feet and legs, even to the extent of licking the upper-thigh of one startled and enraged female victim."

Strovink says that during that particular incident, a female victim began to deliberately draw a lot of attention to her and the suspect by raising her voice loudly.

"That caused the suspect to flee the store. This brave victim immediately alerted a Target Store, Loss Prevention Agent as to this criminal incident; which resulted in the suspect's store surveillance image being circulated in a Clackamas County Sheriff's Office bulletin."

He continued by saying, "Most significantly, the media ran with this unusual and disconcerting story featuring the surveillance images of the suspect and alerted the public to this criminal activity."

On Friday, July 31st, Strovink says Clackamas County Sheriff's were contacted by Medford Police, declaring the same type of criminal activity was now occurring in the Medford area; with at least four female victims who were reporting the same suspect description and criminal conduct.

Strovink says they learned that, "One of these Medford victims is described to be only 15-years old." He continued, "Again, over the August 1st weekend additional reports were received by Clackamas County Sheriff's, revealing the same criminal activity had occurred at a Ross Dress for Less, on SE 82nd Avenue and again at the Target Store, on SE Sunnyside Road, in Happy Valley."

At 4:47 p.m. an on the alert female citizen called the Clackamas County Emergency Dispatch Center, telling dispatchers she recognized a male subject who had been featured on news broadcasts saying, "that had something to do with this man approaching woman in stores".

"This keen-eyed citizen told dispatchers this subject just exited a beige colored vehicle displaying California license plate number 3EBN251."

Strovink says this citizen continued to provide dispatchers with a very accurate description of the subject she observed presently walking from his vehicle parked in the area of the Willamette Falls Urgent Care Center / Woman's Health Center; located at 9775 SE Sunnyside Road, in Happy Valley. Dispatched Clackamas County Sheriff's Patrol deputies arrived in the area in time to observe this described male subject entering the Willamette Falls Urgent Care Center.

The deputies immediately surrounded the building and secured all available exits.

At 5:34 p.m. Clackamas County Deputies made contact with this subject inside the Care Center, and with probable cause to arrest, he was taken into custody without incident.

46-year old Steven George Bronson has no confirmed current address.

Strovink says it has also been discovered Steven Bronson has an established criminal history in the State of California, Nevada and Washington.

Bronson was transported from the scene to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, in Oregon City.

At that time, Bronson was interviewed by detectives and then lodged in the Clackamas County Jail for 2 counts of third-degree Sex Abuse.

Steven Bronson was arraigned on this criminal matter in the Clackamas County Circuit Court Today, August 6th, 2009, at 3:00 p.m.

The vehicle Bronson was observed operating and registered in his name is described as a beige colored, 1993, Mercury, 4-door sedan, with California license number 3EBN251.

This automobile was towed from the scene by Clackamas County Sheriff's Detectives for an anticipated forensic search of this vehicle.