The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

October 30, 2009

Man charged with ogling women, refusing to leave Y

By Matt Snyder

GROVE CITY —

Charges were held Wednesday against a Pine Township man who had repeated brushes with YMCA staff when he continued to enter the building without a membership and spent time loitering around women, the pool area and the aerobics class.

Joseph M. Locktosh, 40, of 225 Tieline Road, had charges of defiant trespass, disorderly conduct, and harassment held to court before District Judge D. Neil McEwen, Pine Township.

Locktosh has been approached by YMCA staff numerous times over the course of a year and told to leave because he does not have a membership, staff told police. He would say his son did have a membership, and they told him he still wasn’t entitled to be in the building.

He spent his time in the building loitering around women in the pool area, fitness center, and gymnasium while aerobics classes were in session, staff told police.

During two weeks in July and August, staff told police, Locktosh would bring his son into the club a drink or to use the restroom, even though his son hasn’t had a membership since January.

Locktosh told police his son had a membership, but could not produce a card. He also said his son had football practices nearby and he took him to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. The YMCA used to let football players use their restrooms, but changed the policy so it was only for emergencies, a staffer told police.

Locktosh also said on one occasion on Aug. 5, his son was sick from eating greasy food before football practice and needed to use the bathroom twice.

During that visit, a YMCA staffer told police she told Locktosh to clear out. He asked to wait till his son finished in the restroom, and she told him to wait outside. Instead, he did not leave and sat down next to her desk.

When the boy was done, they left, the staffer said, but later that day Locktosh returned. The staffer told him he wasn’t allowed in the club and they had an argument over whether or not his son was still a member. He swore at the staffer and called her an epithet.

Also that week, Locktosh was told to leave three times and didn’t, told police. He was watching the women’s aerobics class. A male employee had to escort him from the building.

A staffer for the pool area at the club also told police that she works in the public park and pool for the borough. In addition to problems at the YMCA, she said, Locktosh hangs out around the pool in the park and stares at the women for long periods of time.

Locktosh denied the swimming pool incidents when asked by police and said he only swims there three times a week.

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