A Salem barber with an at-home business has been charged with sexually abusing two teenagers during haircuts.
Detectives suspect there may be other underage victims of the barber’s abuse, the Salem Police Department said on Monday.
Prosecutors charged Eron D. Griffin on Nov. 29, 2023, in Marion County Circuit Court with three counts of third-degree sexual abuse and commercial sexual solicitation.
The charges allege that Griffin subjected two teen boys to sexual contact between March 2022 and October 2023. He is also accused of offering one of the boys money to engage in sexual contact, according to court documents.
Police began investigating Griffin, 42, of Salem, in October after teen victims reported the barber had subjected them to sexual contact during visits with him.
Griffin was subsequently arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail. He was released on Dec. 20, according to court records.
“Based on the investigation, detectives suspect there may be other minors who were victimized by Griffin who ran the barbershop from his residence,” Salem police said in a news release.
Police asked anyone who had similar experiences involving Griffin or may have information relevant to the case to contact detective Sabrina Hunter at 503-540-2443.
Griffin has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Each charge is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail and fine of up to $6,250.
A trial is scheduled for March 14.
Griffin previously pleaded guilty in 2004 to two counts of delivering a controlled substance to a minor in Marion County, court records showed.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
SUPPORT OUR WORK – We depend on subscribers for resources to report on Salem with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more. Click I want to subscribe!
Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
