Panhandling suspect in Atwater arrested, released

Atwater police say the recent arrest of a man involved with group of panhandlers who’d been creating issues for store owners is part of a crackdown on the practice.

Police received calls in recent weeks from employees of Save Mart on Bellevue Road and Target on Commerce Avenue describing a silver Dodge Durango carrying a group of people panhandling. Reports said the suspects were aggressive toward customers and store management. After requesting the group leave the area, store clerks notified police, Lt. Samuel Joseph said.

The lieutenant said “aggressive panhandling” has been an issue in recent months, leading the City Council to create an ordinance in May aimed at cracking down on the practice.

“We don’t want customers or citizens to feel in fear of panhandlers,” Joseph said.

Police received another report from the Save Mart employees Friday afternoon, and the people in the Durango fled, police said.

A police detective stopped the vehicle on Bellevue Road a short time later. The driver, Benjamin Lee, acknowledged that the panhandling was illegal, police said. Lee was driving with a suspended license and had multiple warrants out for his arrest, officers said.

Lee, 49, was arrested, but he could not be booked into the jail because of a medical condition, Joseph said.

The recently adopted ordinance prohibits aggressive, threatening or coercive panhandling. The person panhandling cannot block the path of the person solicited, continue asking after being told “no,” or come within three feet of the person solicited. Panhandlers have to stay at least 50 feet away from a bank or ATM, check-cashing business, bus stop, train stop or outdoor vending machine. Panhandling is prohibited at night, the ordinance says.

The ordinance also banned panhandling in groups of two or more people, such as in Lee’s case.

Violators can be fined $100 for a first offense, $250 for the second offense and $500 for the third. On the fourth offense, violators can be fined $1,000 and jailed for six months.

Merced Police Capt. Tom Trindad said panhandling also has been a problem in Merced from time to time. Trindad suggests that Merced residents donate their money to United Way of Merced County or a local church so that their money doesn’t go toward illegal activities.

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Panhandling suspect in Atwater arrested, released."