A sex offender who took a high-school-aged girl to a Berkeley park, where he kissed her and touched her over her clothes, has been charged with child molesting and sexual battery by restraint, according to court papers and police.
Harold Jackson, 58, of Oakland has a long criminal record, including a conviction in 2001 for child molestation, according to court papers. According to the state Megan’s Law database, Jackson also was convicted of sexual battery by restraint at that time. Because of his history, Jackson could face more serious penalties and be sent to prison if he’s convicted in the new case.
On Sept. 8, according to police, Jackson saw the girl walking near University and Bonita avenues at 10 a.m. He grabbed her hand, though he did not know her, and took her to a nearby tot lot at Bonita and Hearst Avenue, police said.
As they sat on a bench, police wrote in court papers, Jackson kissed the girl’s hand and cheek. He repeatedly kissed her on the mouth and put his tongue inside her mouth, police wrote. He also touched her over her shorts and told the girl he wanted to take her back to his place so he could perform oral sex on her.
Jackson unbuttoned the girl’s shorts and tried to put his hand inside them, but the girl stopped him, police said.
He then followed her to an appointment, according to police. He told the girl he would wait for her at a bus stop nearby so he could meet up with her when she was done.
Once she got to the appointment, the girl called her aunt and asked for a ride because she was afraid Jackson would be waiting for her after her meeting. Police responded to the area and detained Jackson a block from the bus stop where he had said he would wait.
On Sept. 11, the Alameda County district attorney’s office charged Jackson with two felonies: child molesting with a prior conviction for that same offense and sexual battery by restraint, according to court papers.
He also has prior convictions for possession of a firearm by a felon and receiving stolen property, and five separate convictions for home burglary between 1983 and 2002.
Jackson remains in custody with a bail of $940,000 and is scheduled to enter a plea Monday at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland, according to jail records online.
