A man has been charged with cruelty to children and child molestation after he reportedly inappropriately touched a teen while at a gas station.

Deputy Felicia Jefferson with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy was patrolling the area of Brown Bridge Road and Salem Road around 12:30 p.m. Sunday when a 13-year-old female victim flagged him down.

Jefferson said the deputy then spoke with the victim’s mother, who said that while she and her daughter were in line waiting to pay for items at the Flash Foods gas station, an unknown male, later identified as Lamar Wesson Phillips, 29, of Covington, walked by, touched her daughter on her backside and then went into a restroom.

"When the deputy arrived, the male was still inside of the restroom. The male exited the restroom and the deputy made contact with the male and detained him as he continued to gather information," Jefferson said.

The deputy was able to view the camera footage in the store and the victim’s complaint was confirmed, Jefferson said. Phillips was then arrested and taken to the Newton County Jail.