A trip to the big city for an East Texas family turned into a nightmare when, according to investigators, an autistic 15-year-old boy was molested by an employee at a North Houston Conn's store.

According to an affidavit filed by Harris County Sheriff's investigators, the boy's dad and sister and other family members came down from Palestine to visit relatives, and while they were here, decided to pick up a refrigerator at a Conn's store on the North Freeway just outside of the city limits on May 19. While they were there, the boy asked to go to the bathroom and went inside to relieve his bladder at a urinal.

The boy was alone in the restroom, but not for long, because suddenly, according to the affidavit, Conn's employee Martin Maule walked in stood next to the boy, and grabbed his penis.

Myspace.com

Maule and a unidentified young man. Most of the pictures on Maule's Myspace page are of teen boys.

The boy said he was too scared to tell the man to stop, and Maule warned him not to tell anyone. The boy also said he was too embarrassed to tell his dad and sister, but told his mother the next day, after the family went back to Palestine.

The boy's sister returned to the store, and based on her brother's description, identified Maule as the suspect and got his name from his nametag. It was later confirmed that Maule had been on duty on the date and time of the boy's visit, and the boy positively identified Maule in a photo lineup.

Maule reportedly refused to cooperate with the investigation. He is charged with indecency with a child by touching, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and was jailed on Monday, his 51st birthday. He has paid his $30,000 bond and is being represented by a court-appointed attorney.

Conn's has dismissed Maule since the allegation came to light.

This is Maule's first brush with the law, which seems kind of amazing when you see that (retroactively) creepy Myspace page of his.

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