Carousel operator Louis Shelton of King of Prussia, Pa., was charged with...

Carousel operator Louis Shelton of King of Prussia, Pa., was charged with sexual abuse and child endangerment. Credit: SCPD

A carnival worker was charged with sexual abuse and child endangerment after he inappropriately touched a 7-year-old girl riding a carousel Wednesday night, police said.

The suspect, Louis Shelton, 50, of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, was the operator of the carousel, part of the Dreamland Amusements carnival at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, according to police.

The carnival, which started May 30, was to end on Sunday, according to event calendars. But Lake Grove Village Deputy Mayor Richard J. Cohen said Thursday the village had revoked the carnival’s permit and it would not reopen Friday. “We didn’t think it was appropriate to have them continue to operate,” he said.

A representative for Dreamland said the carnival would be shut down for the rest of the weekend.

Shelton was arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip. A temporary order of protection was issued, and bail was set at $15,000 in cash or $30,000 bond, but not posted, court records show. Shelton was represented by the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, which could not be immediately reached for comment. 

A mall representative was not immediately available to comment.

Anyone with additional information, including other potential victims, should call the Special Victims Section at 631-852-6184, police said.

With Jesse Coburn and Deon J. Hampton

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