Cedar Rapids man accused of picking up 2 girls, touching one of them inappropriately

CEDAR RAPIDS -- A registered sex offender living in Cedar Rapids was arrested Friday on charges that he picked up two young girls and touched one inappropriately before they escaped his vehicle.

Rusty Lynn Bowles, 56, is charged with child endangerment and indecent contact with a child.

According to a criminal complaint, two girls — ages 12 and 13 — told police they were walking together April 25 when Bowles pulled over in a truck and offered them a ride. He drove them to a gas station on Bowling Street SW and 41st Avenue Drive SW, where he bought them some food.

After driving away from the gas station, Bowles touched one of the girls inappropriately, and both girls told him not to touch her. They got out of the truck and went to a nearby business where police were called, the complaint states.

According to the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, Bowles was convicted of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse on an adult in 1994, and he was charged with enticing a minor between 14 and 17 years old in 2011.

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