ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI — A Maryland Heights man is facing criminal charges after police say multiple women reported encounters with him along the Fee Fee Greenway.
According to information provided Kaylen Hayes, 29, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree sexual misconduct. He is currently being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond.
Police said the investigation began after reports surfaced of a man approaching women along the trail.
Following the release of information about the initial reports, two additional women came forward, bringing the reported total to four women.
According to court documents described in the report, investigators connected Hayes to separate incidents involving women near the trail.
The women were able to identify him in separate police lineups.
Maryland Heights Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Swatek told First Alert 4 that officers received the reports on Friday, August 28.
An officer later located Hayes on the trail early Sunday, August 30, after reportedly spending more than 50 miles on bicycle patrol searching for him.
Police said Hayes denied exposing himself but acknowledged that he frequently visits the trail.
The report states that Hayes was on parole for a Boone County burglary conviction.
Court information also lists previous convictions involving theft of a credit card, a firearm, theft over $500 and two second-degree assault convictions.
For women using public trails, parks and greenways, repeated reports of unwanted approaches can create legitimate safety concerns.
Creating safer communities means listening when people report behavior that makes them feel threatened or unsafe, encouraging witnesses and victims to come forward, and supporting law enforcement investigations.
