Young girl assaulted by man posing as charity worker at Walmart, police say

SHALLOTTE, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - Police in North Carolina say three men have been arrested after a teen was assaulted at a Walmart.

WECT reports the group of men was claiming to be collecting donations for a charity in the parking lot when they approached a teen girl and her brother.

The Shallotte Police Department said one of the men in question forcefully grabbed the girl when her brother went to get money to donate.

According to police, the man put his arms around the girl, grabbed her chest area and kissed her neck.

When others in the parking lot noticed the girl in distress, the men started to leave, police said.

Authorities said the teen girl then reported the assault to a Walmart employee. This person was able to flag down an officer who was already responding to a complaint about the men.

Shallotte Police Lt. Cory McLamb said the men took off from the Walmart parking lot, but officers were able to track them down and arrested them.

McLamb said officers found a large sum of cash in the suspects’ vehicle along with some narcotic paraphernalia. The men were also found to not have any connection with the reported charity.

Authorities identified them as Remus Duduveica, 36, Ulise Dumitru, 22, and Ion Levers Istronom, 26. They were arrested for obtaining property under false pretenses. Duduveica is also charged with sexual battery.

Additionally, McLamb said the men are being held on an immigration detainer as they are in the U.S. illegally from Romania.

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