Boe the scarf dancer remained jailed this week, arrested at Seattle’s Northwest Folklife Festival two weeks ago after a group of juveniles at the Seattle Center event told police the 70-year-old had groped their friend as he danced and handed out paintings.

Capitol Hill resident Calvin Creech, also known as Boe Oddisey, has been charged with misdemeanor assault with sexual motivation and pleaded not guilty on May 29th to the charge. An order for his release was filed that day pending payment of $5,000 bail. According to facility records, Oddisey remains incarcerated in the King County Jail.

According to the police report on the Saturday, May 26th incident, officers near the Seattle Children’s Theater were waved down by a group of juveniles around 4:30 PM during the festival.

The group, all under the age of 18 according to police, told police of “a guy down there groping.” “The guy touched my friend’s balls,” one kid reported. Police say the victim was crying and seemed upset and that the group had video showing Oddisey’s hand moving to grope the victim but not the actual act.

Police asked the victim if we would prefer to speak privately and pulled him aside. According to the report, the friends had seen Oddisey dancing at festivals before and that at Folklife, the dancer had a “free hugs” sign. The victim told police his friends asked for hugs and each embraced Oddisey and were also given a free painting. The victim said it was during his hug that Oddisey groped him.

Police say another juvenile in the group told them Oddisey had asked, “Would you like a grope too?”

After the minors identified Oddisey to police, he was taken into custody, an arrest captured on video and posted to Reddit.

Police say Oddisey (spelled Odysiey throughout the report) was despondent after his arrest:

The dancer’s props were seized as evidence “as they are both integral to his physical description and how he presents himself to crowds at festivals” — “an improvised booth” constructed from a “modified walker,” “numerous paintings at various stages of composition,” and “photographs of other artwork” signed by Oddisey.

Police also took into evidence one of the paintings given to the victim in the alleged groping:

In 2013, CHS spoke with Oddisey about his life as a peculiar Seattle icon, his art, and the emotional and mental issues he says he has struggled with.

The Capitol Hill resident remains behind bars as of Wednesday morning, according to jail records.

UPDATE 6/22/2018: Oddisey remains jailed but now faces more serious charges for what prosecutors say was illegal contact with two teen boys. King County Prosecutors have charged the 70-year-old with two counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes:

Prosecutors note that Oddisey has no known criminal history.

He remains jailed on an increased $10,000 bail and has been ordered to have no contact with minors.

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