Man charged with tattooing kids

STAFF REPORT

SHARON, Pa. — Police have charged a city man with tattooing a 14-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.

James Houser, 29, of South Oakland Avenue, is charged with four counts of tattooing or body piercing a minor, which is a third-degree misdemeanor. He was given a summons to appear at Senior District Magistrate Henry Russo’s court for a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 11.

Police allege he tattooed the children sometime in June or July, according to an affidavit on file at Russo’s court. The boy was tattooed twice, once on each arm. The girl was also tattooed twice, once on her back and once on her leg.

Police received a complaint about the tattoos Jan. 12, said Sharon Capt. Travis Martwinski in the affidavit. He was unavailable for additional comment Thursday.

The affidavit says the tattooing took place in an apartment at Willow Village on Sterling Avenue. The woman who lives there told police she saw Houser tattoo the children, it says. The woman told police she and Houser tried to call a parent of the children but were unsuccessful. Houser tattooed them anyway, the affidavit says.

The affidavit reported that Houser confirmed he did the tattoos with no consent, using a homemade tattoo gun.