Man with admitted foot fetish arrested in N.A.

A man put on trespass notice at an Aiken store last week has now been charged with soliciting for contribution by the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

The Langley man, 42-year-old Joey William Leaphart, who previously served time in prison for licking the toes of an 11-year-old girl and later admitted to a foot fetish, was taken into custody last Friday afternoon, Feb. 17., according to Public Safety spokesman Lt. Tim Thornton.

Leaphart is accused of approaching women in North Augusta Plaza asking for money.

In a press release, Thornton noted, "Whereas, Leaphart has not yet been connected to any criminal misconduct stemming from North Augusta's solicitation incident, officers with Public Safety believe his behavior to be odd and suspicious."

Thornton continued, "Public Safety is encouraging citizens, especially women, to use caution when traveling alone."

The lieutenant also asked if anyone has had a "personal interaction" that in any way mirrors the earlier stories about Leaphart, that person should immediately contact local law enforcement.

Last week, Leaphart was placed on Trespass Notice at Aiken's Richland Avenue Walmart after being accused of approaching women and asking to smell and kiss their feet.

Aiken Public Safety reported a woman had complained she was approached on Feb. 13 and was asked if Leaphart could smell her shoes. Then, he asked her if he could smell and kiss her feet.

Aiken investigators said they talked with Walmart officials about the most recent allegations, and a store employee told officers she was aware of the allegations and added that there have been several other similar incidents.

While Aiken Public Safety issued Leaphart a trespass warning in the Feb. 13 incident, he has not been charged with any crime.

Leaphart is a registered sex offender with a conviction for committing/attempting lewd act on a child under 16 from a 2000 incident. He served more than five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the incident during which he sucked and licked the toes of an 11-year-old girl.

He was incarcerated from March 2004 to October 2009.

Before going to prison, in 2002, Leaphart was also in court facing charges that he kissed a woman's foot without her permission while she was in the parking lot at the Aiken County Department of Social Services.

He was acquitted on those charges, but had admitted to police during the investigation that he had a foot fetish.