Hickory man accused of exposing himself to children at playground

HICKORY, N.C. — A man is accused of exposing himself to several children at a playground in Hickory, police told Channel 9.

Officers said that Sidney Paul was charged on three counts of indecent exposure and indecent liberties with a child.

Police said he performed a sex act in front of the children at the playground at the Twin Cedars Apartments.

Channel 9 learned all of the children were under the age of 10.

All of them told police the suspect said, "This is what I do to little girls" while exposing himself, police said.
 
One mother said she tried to confront Paul at his home in Hickory.

Her 5-year old daughter and nieces were playing at the apartments when she said the girls told her Paul exposed himself with dozens of children nearby.

"I'm terribly mad," Ramona Covington said. "I tried to hurt the man but he would not come outside. The Lord saved him that day because if he came outside I would have beat him up."

Police executed a search warrant at Paul's apartment and seized the clothing the children said he was wearing. 
 
Neighbor Lena Martinez never had problems with Paul but said she is watching her younger siblings more now. 

"Usually, he was always walking around," Martinez said. "I would always see him walking around and he would just wave and say, 'Hey.'I never had any issues with him."
 
Covington said what concerns her most is what she said Paul told the children.
 
"I wanted to know what happened and when I went over there, the kids told me that he said he's not going to show it to no adults," she said. "He shows it to little kids."
 
Police contacted the Pakistani Consulate to notify them of the arrest because Paul is from Pakistan. He is being held without bond at the Catawba County Jail.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

• Big rig crash spills 50K pounds of potatoes across I-77
• Gastonia police investigate homicide after body found in bathroom
• McCrory's Office: State will respond to DOJ's HB2 warning by Monday
• Amber Alert: Abducted 9-year-old, uncle could be heading to NC
• PHOTOS: Tractor-trailer carrying potatoes crashes on I-77

Cox Media Group