Man Charged for Groping Teenager at Capitol Visitor Center
Charge comes amid swirl of sexual misconduct allegations against lawmakers and staff
Update June 7 3:04 p.m. | The District Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia dismissed charges against Fairbert after witnesses declined to testify in court.
U.S. Capitol Police officers arrested a Florida man and charged him with misdemeanor sexual abuse for allegedly groping an 18-year-old woman and taking a picture of another woman at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on Nov. 22, according to police reports and court documents.
Adam Scott Fairbert, 30, of Plant City, Florida, will be arraigned Dec. 13 in the D.C. Superior Court.
The USCP arrest of Fairbert came as allegations of sexual misconduct in congressional offices continue to rock the Capitol.
At approximately 3:08 p.m., two 18-year-old women approached USCP officer Hunter Cetrone in the CVC saying Fairbert had groped one of them. They also told Cetrone they had seen Fairbert “take a photo of a girl.”
Fairbert was placed under arrest and taken to the station for questioning.
Police charged Fairbert with placing his hand on one of the women’s buttock, court documents show.
This is the first time Fairbert has been charged with a sexual offense, according to a court records search. He has previously been found guilty of various traffic violations and a 2012 driving under the influence charge.
Watch: ‘Conyers Should Resign’ Says Pelosi
[jwp-video n=”1″]
Fairbert could not be reached by phone or social media.
Fairbert’s records show he lives in Plant City, Florida, about an hour inland of Tampa Bay. He previously lived in Wisconsin.
The Capitol banned Fairbert from its grounds and the alleged victims issued a stay away/no contact order, according to court documents.
A slew of lawmakers — including Democratic Reps. Ruben Kihuen of Nevada and John Conyers Jr. of Michigan and Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota — have come under heavy scrutiny in the last month for allegations of sexual misconduct.
Members from both parties have expressed a willingness to consider the Me Too Congress Act introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier that would overhaul the adjudication process for sexual harassment complaints on the Hill.
The House passed a resolution in November mandating annual sexual harassment prevention training for all members and staff.