Man Fixated On High School Athletes Released From Police Custody

Within 24 hours of turning himself in, a man accused of luring high school athletes for a fake interview and then asking for a piggy back ride has been released on his own personal recognizance.

After appearing in court Thursday, the judge ordered Sherwin Shayegan to stay away from minors under 18 years old.

Shayegan faces a fourth-degree assault charge.

Bonney Lake police said Shayegan turned himself in at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night and was booked into jail.

On Monday, Shayegan lured a Bonney Lake High school football player to a public library saying he was going to interview him for a college term paper, police said.

When the student met the man at the library, he said the man, who identified himself as “Dale,” was acting strangely.

Police said the student tried to end the interview, but then Shayegan jumped on his back and asked for a “piggy back ride.”

Shayegan gave the student a package containing odd amounts of money before the student fled the library.

He is accused of doing the same thing to student athletes in Ellensburg, Bellingham and Centralia.

Shayegan is possibly developmentally delayed and has an apparent fixation on high school athletes, police said.

His next court appearance is on Oct. 12.