Massachusetts man accused of luring juvenile into his car at beach, indecently assaulting her

According to police, on Monday, Webster Police Officers Patrick Trainor and Shane Murray spoke to a juvenile female and her grandmother in the lobby of the Webster Police Department. During that conversation, the juvenile disclosed she had been down at Memorial Beach when she encountered a white male with a dog, who lured her inside his car. He then drove her to a location to drop off the dog he was with and, at some point, assaulted her inappropriately. He then dropped her off back in the area of her residence, where she disclosed the incident to her grandmother.

Officers Trainor and Murray and the rest of the patrol shift immediately began he investigation. Pertinent evidence was collected, and patrols were increased at Memorial Beach.

The initial investigation revealed the suspect had advised her he would be at Memorial Beach the following day at 11:30 a.m. Webster Police Detectives and several officers from surrounding departments comprising the Southern Worcester County Counter Crime and Drug Task Force flooded the area. The juvenile was able to provide some unique characteristics about the car. Officers found a car matching that description at the beach, and a potential suspect was identified.

Over the next few days, while continuing their investigation, Detectives from the Webster and Southbridge Police Departments monitored the suspect and Memorial Beach. Uniformed patrols were also increased as well.

On Friday, after a forensic interview of the victim, Members of SWCCCDTF followed the suspect, who had been identified as 68-year-old Walter Fanion of Southbridge, to Memorial Beach, where he was taken into custody without incident.

Fanion was transported back to the Webster Police Department, where he was charged with Kidnapping, Enticing a Child Under 16, and four counts of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child under 14.

Fanion is currently being held on $75,040 cash bail.

If anyone else had any similar contact with Fanion, they are encouraged to call the Webster Police Department Detective Bureau at 508-943-1212.

The department thanked all of the agencies that assisted them over the past few days in surveilling the suspect and helping in the investigation in addition to commending the work of Detectives Phil Hurton, Tim Whiting, and Officer Patrick Trainor.