So-called ‘Piggyback Bandit’ arrested for assault

WASHINGTON — The “Piggyback Bandit” is pack.

Sherwin Shayegan, 31, has been charged with assault and battery after he grabbed a juvenile at a high school hockey game on Dec. 7 and tried to make him go into a locker room.

The assault occurred at the Ashburn Ice House in Virginia.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s office is investigating to see if other teens were approached.

In the past, Shayegan was dubbed the “Piggyback Bandit” because of a history of jumping on the backs of high school athletes. Some of the states include Oregon, Washington state and North Dakota.

An Associated Press story from 2012 says Shayegan has a tendency to integrate himself into high school sports teams. After awhile, he would exhibit odd behavior, like shoulder massages, and eventually leap on to students’ backs.

In the most recent incident, Shayegan was taken into custody on Dec. 10 in Gaithersburg. He’s awaiting extradition to Virginia.

A similar incident happened on Dec. 8 at a Loudoun County Public Schools high school game. Police are investigating.

Anyone with information should call the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021. If a similar incident happened in another area, the local law enforcement should be contacted.

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