Police arrested Herbert Stokes, 36, a Wards Island resident, and charged him with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly grabbing two girls at Shake Shack on Monday morning and kissing one of them. The girls are 12 and 13 years old.
Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.
I’m certain he will be out again soon to do even worse.
GOOD! Lock him up and keep him there. We may argue, disagree and have heated discussions on “our” Upper West Side, but don’t mess with our children. We will gather together and get your butt.
I’m so glad you made this comment. Just think, if not for it, then the individual who allegedly committed this crime and similar would-be criminals might have assumed that such behavior would be acceptable to at least some of those who comment here. After all, we certainly do, as you noted, “argue, disagree and have heated discussions on “our” Upper West Side”. Surely, that is reason enough, as you obviously realized, to make it logical to conclude that, in all likelihood, some of must approve randomly grabbing children and adolescents in restaurants.
I’m also glad you specified, “our children“, thereby implying that adults are fair-game when it comes to the likes of sexual assault.
Finally, was there not a rather distinct tone of reactionary vigilantism, vengefulness and perhaps even racism in your comments? Is that really the image of UWSers that you wish to project? Is that who we are?
Getting someone’s butt might also be a sexual assault
I wonder how many millions of dollars in settlement he will get from the City after his lawsuit about the arrest is resolved.
What lawsuit is that?
Why, who do you know on the force that you’re so loyal to?
No one. And why do you need to attack me personally if you disagree with my view?
Almost all of the permanent residents of Wards Island live at homeless shelters, and other news sources have confirmed this guy did. Nice that he is out wandering around the UWS during the day groping kids. Ugh.