Salesman's grab leads to charges

Dennis Baker

A 71-year-old, door-to-door magazine salesman faces a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse after he allegedly groped a potential customer during a house call.

Clay County Deputies were called to a Webb neighborhood at about 7:30 p.m. Monday after a resident called authorities to report an incident of sexual misconduct.

Sheriff Randy Krukow said Dennis Baker of Cherokee apparently made an innuendo about cold air, then reached out for unwanted physical contact with the chest area of the female resident.

The sheriff believes the initial magazine sales effort was legitimate, not a ploy for Baker to impose himself physically upon people who answered their doors. The victim was roughly Baker's age, and Krukow characterized the incident as an inappropriate act and momentary lapse in judgement by the salesman.

"It isn't like he was out stalking people," Krukow explained.

Baker was later located, arrested and transported to the Clay County Jail where he was processed and held to appear before a magistrate.