Halloween Nightmare: Fla. Man Gropes, Assaults Five Teens at Haunted House, Say Cops

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (CBS/WTSP) Police say an intoxicated Florida man groped and assaulted five teenagers who were volunteering at a high school haunted house.

Authorities charged 50-year-old James Carter with four counts of child abuse and one count of lewd and lascivious behavior, according to CBS affiliate WTSP.

Carter, of Palm Harbor, Fla., was supposedly an actor in the haunted house that was run by high school students last Friday.  Police say Carter approached a 16-year-old girl who was also an actor while she was lying on a table and reportedly kissed her on the mouth and touched her genital area through her clothes, reports WTSP.

Carter is also accused of telling a second underage girl, "I'm not supposed to touch you, right?" before he put his hand on her and touched her breast through her clothing, according to CBS Radio Station WZLX. He then tried to press his face against the victim's, police said.

Another victim told authorities that Carter reached inside the opening of her costume and grabbed her breast and genital area through her clothing.

According to an arrest affidavit Carter also grabbed another teen's head and shook it for about five to seven seconds. He also punched a 15-year-old boy and then tried to grab him, police said. The teen managed to get away and Carter allegedly fled down an alley where he was eventually apprehended by police.

Carter was released from jail Saturday on a $60,000 bond.