Second ride operator arrested at Canfield Fair

CANFIELD — Police officers at the Canfield Fair arrested a ride operator on a charge of sexual imposition.

Charged is Jose Moreno-Benites, 29. According to a police report, Moreno-Benites is from Veracruz, Mexico and works for Bates Amusements, which operates amusement rides at the fair.

According to the report, a female reported to police that a Bates employee had inappropriately touched her while he operated a ride in the Kiddie Land amusement area. A foreman denied the incident, but two people told police they witnessed it, according to the report.

Bates officials declined to comment on the incident.

Attached to the police report from Saturday is an eviction notice dated today, which states that Moreno-Benites is "restricted and denied access to the Fairgrounds property" due to his arrest.

The incident marks the second time this week a ride operator at the fair was arrested.

U.S. Marshals on Thursday arrested Brandon Walsh, 30, at a ride he was operating. The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Canfield police, and fair police assisted in the arrest.

Walsh was wanted on a child-sex charge from South Carolina, according to the Marshals.