A MAN dressed as Sesame Street character Elmo has been arrested over claims he groped a teen tourist in Times Square.
Inocente Andrade-Pacheco was detained by cops from the New York Police Department on Saturday evening.
A man dressed as Elmo from Sesame Street waits to pose for pictures with tourists in New York[/caption]
He was collared after the family of the 14-year-old schoolgirl accused him of touching the teenager on the buttocks while posing for a photograph.
The 54-year-old was taken into custody and arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court on charges including forcible touching, the New York Daily News reported.
A police spokesperson said: “The victim was not injured as a result.”
Prosecutors said multiple witnesses saw the “muppet” grope the girl, however Andrade-Pacheco has denied grabbing her.
His lawyer argued his client – who lives New Jersey with his wife and child – has strong ties to his community and no prior convictions.
In recent years, politicians have attempted to regulate the costumed individuals in the tourist hotspot after string of incidents.
In 2015, it was reported a man dressed as Spider-Man was caught on camera fighting with another individual at Times Square.
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The previous year, a man posing as Spider-Man was detained after allegedly punching a cop in the face after the cop attempted to stop him from harassing tourists.
In January 2014, a man dressed as the Toy Story character Woody was arrested on sex abuse over allegations he had groped women.
And in 2013, a Queens man was arrested after allegedly shoving a two-year-old boy while dressed as the Cookie Monster.
