Man wearing SpongeBob mask accused of peeping on woman in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG

A 32-year-old man was arrested Monday morning after he put on a SpongeBob SquarePants mask, broke into a woman's home and watched her sleep on her couch, according to St. Petersburg police.

The man, Steven Charles Kirkland, was later arrested by police, who said he was also wanted on two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12.

When the sleeping woman woke up just after 7:15 a.m., police said Kirkland ran from the house in the area of 21st Avenue S and Seventh Street as she called law enforcement.

Then at 7:35 a.m., police said, Kirkland was observed near 22nd Avenue S and Fifth Street looking through the window of a home where a woman was getting dressed for work. When officers arrived, the suspect ran and hid in a trash can before he was arrested.

Kirkland was arrested on charges of residential burglary, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, loitering and prowling and trespassing. The two lewd and lascivious counts stem from a Jan. 22 incident involving two children who did not know Kirkland, police said. No other details were released. He could also face a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure for an incident that police said took place Jan. 22 at Bay Vista Park.

Detectives believe there could be more victims. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (727) 893-7780 or text "SPPD ' tip" to tip411.

Times staff