Michael Shawn Kelley - Repeat Sex Offender - Spying on women in Wal-Mart restrooms

Officers arrested a registered sex offender Tuesday night they said was looking up women’s skirts while they were shopping or using the restroom at local businesses, Florence Police Maj. Carlos Raines said.

Michael Shawn Kelley, 27, of of 3220 Hoffmeyer Road, Lot 60, Florence, faces four peeping tom charges, Raines said.

Investigators said the suspect has been to Books-A-Million and both Florence Wal-Mart SuperCenters to look up women’s skirts or watch them from underneath restroom stalls.

The first incident happened in January at the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter on Beltline Drive, Raines said. The suspect entered the women’s restroom, victims told police, and watched them from under the stalls.

The next incident was reported Sunday at the same place. Women told police they’d caught the suspect looking up their skirts and dresses, Raines said.

The third incident happened Monday at the Wal-Mart SuperCenter on South Irby Street, where police again were told about a man peering up women’s skirts and dresses, Raines said.

The last incident happened Tuesday night at Books-A-Million on West Evans Street where the suspect entered the women’s restroom, stood on a toilet seat and peeked over at a woman in the next stall, Raines said.

Some of these incidents were caught on surveillance footage, which led to the suspect’s identification, Raines said.

Investigators are urging businesses to report this kind of activity to police, he said.

“We certainly want any of the citizens here that are out shopping or wherever it may be to feel like it’s going to be a safe place to go,” Raines said.

Meanwhile, he said, the investigation is continuing.

According to the State Law Enforcement Division’s Sex Offender Registry, Kelley was convicted in October 2005 of a peeping tom/aggravated voyeurism charge and in August 2006 for a first-offense sex offender registry violation.

He remains in custody at Florence County Detention Center in Effingham on a $100,000 bond.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"

.........Sarah Tofte