Lee County man accused of child molestation; arrested after alleged standoff with knife

LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Lee County deputies arrested a 60-year-old man wanted in a child molestation case after he allegedly barricaded himself inside a home and armed himself with a knife.

Patrick Baron faces a felony lewd or lascivious molestation charge and a resisting officer charge. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said the investigation began in January after the abuse was reported and involved months of work by the Special Victims Unit.

When deputies with the Fugitive Warrants Unit arrived Wednesday to arrest Baron, investigators said he refused commands, armed himself with a knife and moved through the home while deputies ordered him to surrender.

Detectives said they deployed a Taser through a window to stop him before taking him into custody.

Baron allegedly stabbed himself during the confrontation and was treated by EMS before being booked into jail. The case involved a minor known to Baron.

LCSO said the situation could have turned deadly and credited training and new Taser technology with helping deputies de-escalate the encounter.

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