SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Missouri man is accused of breaking into a home and standing naked over the bed of the couple that lived there, authorities said.
Gene Samuel Ferguson, 41, was arrested on Sunday and charged with first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree burglary and a probation violation stemming from a similar charge four years ago, according to Greene County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.
According to the Springfield Police Department, Ferguson broke into a Springfield home through an unlocked door early Sunday, KOLR-TV reported.
The couple woke up to see the suspect standing naked over their bed, according to the television station.
Man breaks into home, stands naked over couple's bed https://t.co/45TFjfICFC
— KOLR10 | Fox 49 (@kolr10kozl) July 25, 2023
“That’s just such a strange violation of boundaries in a way that’s probably more distressing than stealing something,” Mary Chiles, a neighbor of the victims, told KOLR.
Police arriving at the scene found Ferguson in the area after he left the home, according to the television station.
It is not the first time that Ferguson has been accused of breaking into a Springfield home. In December 2019, Ferguson was arrested for allegedly breaking into a home and crawling into a bed occupied by a couple, the Springfield News-Leader reported.
According to court documents, the woman alerted her husband, who struck the man with a shower curtain rod until he ran away, the newspaper reported.
Ferguson was sentenced to probation in the case, KOLR reported.
Police said that residents should make sure their homes are secure before retiring for the night.
“The best thing you should do is to make a habit of checking your doors and windows, especially before you go to sleep,” Cris Swaters, public information officer for the Springfield Police Department, told KOLR. “A lot of these crimes are crimes of opportunity,” Swaters said. “So if you’re taking away that opportunity, keeping your doors and windows locked, making it hard to get into your home and taking some measures to make your home unappealing for someone who may want to commit a crime.”
Ferguson is currently in custody with bail set at $250,000, online records show.
