Police: Schenectady man charged with child sexual abuse at store; Info on other possible abuse sought

SCHENECTADY – A city man sexually abused a child at a store in Mont Pleasant, police said Thursday.

Investigators are now asking for anyone with information on anyone with children who may have come into contact with him to speak with their children about any inappropriate contact, police said.

Mahroff Karim, 53, of Schenectady, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of felony first-degree sexual abuse, as well as misdemeanor child endangerment and forcible touching.

Karim is accused of abusing the child inside the Faisal West Indian Grocery & Halal Meat Market, 859 Crane St., where Karim worked, police said.

The investigation began hours before Karim’s arrest as a mother and her daughter went to police Wednesday morning to report ongoing sexual abuse, police said.

They detailed several occurrences in the past month where the girl was touched inappropriately by a man. Detectives took their statement and quickly identified the suspect as Karim, police said.

Officers took Karim into custody just after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

“The Schenectady Police Department and Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office are asking anyone whose children may have had contact with Mr. Karim to speak to them in regards to any inappropriate contact,” police said in a release. “If anyone or their children has been involved in an incident regarding Mr. Karim they are asked to contact the Schenectady Police Department’s Youth Aid Division at 518-382-5256.”

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