Belleville man with history of fondling sleeping women charged in assault of Missouri child

A parolee on the run for exposing himself and cutting off his ankle bracelet in Belleville July 10 was captured in St. Louis County on Tuesday, Belleville police detective Sgt. Mark Heffernan confirmed.

Now, Larry Alverson, 40, of Belleville faces charges in connection with stalking an 11-year-old girl Friday at a Shop ‘n Save in Lemay, Mo., before sexually assaulting her in her bed and threatening to kill her brothers if they called for help later that night.

New charges filed against Alverson include one count of burglary, three counts of statutory sodomy of a child under 12 years old with a weapon and armed criminal action. He’s held in St. Louis County on a $1 million cash only bond.

Alverson had eluded police since July 10. A woman working at a medical office in the 100 block of South Third Street in Belleville allegedly saw Alverson masturbating. He cut off his ankle monitor and fled before he was arrested.

Alverson was on the monitor as part of his parole for criminal trespass to a residence. The original charges were unlawful restraint and residential burglary. An order of protection filed by the mother of a 16-year-old girl stated Alverson came to her home in the 500 block of South 22nd Street in Belleville to fix a faucet. The girl later told her mother Alverson came into her room and tried to rape her.

Alverson’s past criminal history included convictions for breaking into two women’s homes and fondling them as they slept. One was sleeping beside her husband.

In 2003, Alverson was accused of breaking into a home and fondling a sleeping 14-year-old. When the girl woke and started screaming, police said Alverson covered her mouth and when she didn’t quiet, he began choking her.

The most recent victim first made contact with her attacker at a Shop ’n Save in the 1000 block of Lemay Ferry Road in St. Louis around 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The victim told police she felt uncomfortable because the suspect brushed against her twice. As the girl and her mother left the store, the victim told police the same man in a black, two-door car was on the parking lot, then reappeared in her neighborhood.

Less than 12 hours later, Alverson allegedly broke into the victim’s home and entered the girl’s bedroom that she shared with her two brothers. Alverson allegedly threatened to kill the two boys if they made any noise, police said. The children were too frightened to tell their mother, police said, fearing the attacker might still be in the home. They told her the next morning as they were headed to get breakfast. The mother then called police and took the girl to a hospital emergency room. Police have said medical personnel confirmed a sexual assault occurred.

In addition to the charges announced Tuesday, Alverson is facing escape and criminal damage to property charges in St. Clair County in connection with jumping his parole. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for public indecency.

St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly said Tuesday afternoon that he may issue additional charges. His bail in the St. Clair County cases is set at $250,000.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Belleville man with history of fondling sleeping women charged in assault of Missouri child."