Mentor man accused of luring kids into woods, taking off clothes pleads not guilty

MENTOR, Ohio - A Mentor man who police said lured children into the woods to help find his cellphone, and then removed his clothes has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.

Kevin Gallagher, 53, of Mentor was arraigned Friday on three counts of child enticement and one count of aggravated menacing.

Mentor police said on July 11, Gallagher apparently approached a group of three boys and one girl – ages 6 to 10 years old – and asked them to help him find his phone that he lost a week before.

The children went with Gallagher into the woods – and they split up. Police said Gallagher asked an 8-year-old boy to go with him, and the rest went another direction. According to officers, the boy urinated in the woods and Gallagher watched him.

The boy told police that Gallagher then told him he was going to do some sexual things to him and rape him. Gallagher took off his shirt and started taking off his pants when one of the kids’ mothers started yelling because the group was not supposed to be in the woods, Mentor police said.

Gallagher took off, but was located at a nearby house short time later and arrested.

Gallagher’s bond has been set at $8,000.

He will have his pre-trial hearing on Aug. 6 at 9 a.m.