Police: Kids underwear found in closet of Thurston County man accused of child molestation

Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 50-year-old man Tuesday after he allegedly molested a 13-year-old-girl over the past three summers.

Robert G. Brown appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon. A judge found probable cause for two counts of first-degree child molestation, one count of second-degree child molestation and one count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

The judge set bail at $100,000, and Brown was released after posting bail.

Court documents gave the following account of the events leading to his arrest:

On Sept. 2, Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies received a report of a sex offense involving a 13-year-old girl and Brown.

The girl reported that while visiting her grandmother at the Pleasant Forest Camping Club, she and her younger sister would visit Brown in his trailer. She said that on several occasions, Brown put his hand in her pants and touched her genitals. He also exposed himself to her, and asked her to touch his genitals.

She also reported that she corresponded with Brown via email, and on one occasion he sent her a photo of his genitals. She said she refused to send a photo of hers.

When detectives searched Brown’s property, they found a pair of pink Elmo panties in his dresser, a bag of girls clothes — including night gowns and underwear — in his closet, and a book about how to talk to children. Brown has no children.

When detectives talked to Brown, he said it was all a misunderstanding. He said he had underwear in his house because girls visit and sometimes leave their clothes there.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone with additional information about the case contact Detective Jamie Gallagher at 360-786-5610.

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Police: Kids underwear found in closet of Thurston County man accused of child molestation."