Andrew Phillips, 38, was arrested Thursday after Carrollton Police Department received several tips from locals.
The Sept. 28 incident was captured on surveillance video at the Kmart on Bankhead Highway, which was posted on the police department’s Facebook page.
“I got a couple of tips and ended up making an arrest, but needed the victim to positively identify the suspect,” said Carrollton police Sgt. Blake Hitchcock.
The teenage victim and his parents went to the police station and positively identified Phillips as the perpetrator.
“I think he inquired if he needed a ride, and he indicated he did not, and then he solicited him for a sexual act. And with him being juvenile, we really want to get him behind bars,” Officer Glenn Lyle said.
Lyle said what makes the man dangerous is that he appeared to not care that other people were around when he approached the teenager in a busy store. “I can’t imagine this is the guy’s first time approaching a complete stranger. It really alarmed us how bold this guy was at approaching this child,” Lyle said.
The teenager’s father, James King, was at the store with his son and had a warning for other parents.
“There are people out there who are predators, and they are looking for people, who say look, I can take this kid and no one will even know it,” King told Channel 2 Action News.
Phillips is currently being held at the Carroll County Jail, charged with soliciting for sodomy of a minor.
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