Burglar Accused Of Attempting To Molest a Child In the House He Robbed

On April 18 at 3:40am, Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to a burglary of an occupied residence off Lexington Road. Later in the day, they arrested 24-year-old Rashard Timothy Blackshear and charged him not only with burglary but also with Criminal Attempt to Commit Child Molestation.

According to a police report, the criminal entered the residence through an open window and removed items throughout the house while the residents were asleep. An 11-year-old girl who was sleeping in a bedroom with her younger sister awoke to find the perpetrator standing over her bed.

According to a story in the Athens Banner Herald, the suspect startled the older girl out of her sleep. She asked what he wanted and he said he "wanted to see something," police said. He supposedly reached for her, the story says, but then stopped and left the room.

He was arrested late Thursday in Athens. The newspaper story says Blackshear has an extensive arrest history in Athens Clarke County and was arrested in Oconee County on drug and theft charges.

An Athens criminal on probation was arrested late Thursday night with attempting to molest an 11-year-old girl during a break-in at the child’s eastside home earlier that day, Athens-Clarke police said.