A judge said Wednesday that she suspects a man with a history of collecting and drinking boys' urine could be doing so in areas outside of Franklin County.
Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Carrie Glaeden said Alan Patton could try to obtain urine from other areas in order to stay away from authorities who are familiar with him, 10TV's Maureen Kocot reported.
"(Patton's) not familiar to law enforcement and businesses outside of Franklin County," Glaeden said. "So it's just a suspicion that he's probably traveling to another county to engage in this behavior."
SLIDESHOW: Images Of Alan Patton
Glaeden's made the comments while appearing before an Ohio Senate committee on Wednesday. Her appearance came as lawmakers consider legislation that would make collecting a person's bodily fluids without their permission against the law.
A bill was originally introduced last year after Patton was arrested while trying to obtain urine from a public restroom at Sports Ohio in Dublin. According to police, Patton shut off water to urinals and placed cups inside to collect urine.
Patton pleaded no contest to a charge of criminal mischief stemming from his arrest at Sports Ohio. He was subsequently sentenced to 60 days in jail, but defense attorneys appealed the sentence.
After another arrest in 2006, Patton told Gahanna police that he suffered from a sexual fetish involving urine, 10TV News reported.
Over the yeas, Patton has had run-ins with police in several central Ohio cities, including Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Westerville and Gahanna, Kocot reported.
Sen. Jim Hughes said he was stunned to learn that no laws were in place to prohibit someone from collecting urine. He is among the lawmakers backing Senate Bill 58.
"To me it is an offense," Hughes said. "I mean, it's very offensive and that's not normal behavior. Somebody's doing this stuff and we need to protect our society."
Under the proposed bill, a person's first offense would be a first-degree misdemeanor, while second conviction would be a felony punishable by up to one year in jail.
In northwest Columbus, one of Patton's neighbors, who asked not to be identified, said she was hopeful that the bill would become law.
"My neighbors and I have asked many times why he's not in jail," the woman said.
Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.
Previous Stories:
February 26, 2009:
Bill Would Make Collecting Urine Without Permission Illegal
September 10, 2009:
Bill Would Make Collecting Juveniles' Urine A Felony
September 8, 2008:
Man With Urine Fetish Pleads No Contest
August 5, 2008:
Proposed Bill Could Make Man's Urine Fetish A Crime
July 15, 2008:
Man With Urine Fetish Ordered To House Arrest
June 30, 2008:
Man Charged After Trying To Obtain, Drink Boys' Urine
June 29, 2008:
Man Accused Of Drinking Boys' Urine Arrested In Dublin
