A 78-year-old former Santa Claus impersonator is facing 13 counts of child abuse and is believed to be connected to a child trafficking ring in North Carolina, according to police.
Bevier Hasbrouck Sleight, who for years dressed up as Saint Nick at the Santa’s Land Fun Park and Zoo in Cherokee, North Carolina, is charged with aggravated sexual abuse, offensive touching and contributing to the delinquency, indiscipline and neglect or abuse of minors among other charges, WLOS reported.
The incidents occurred at Sleight’s home, located behind Santa’s Land, between March 2023 and March 2024 and involved children as young as 5 years old, according to court documents.
Police said Sleight also had 27 weapons inside his RV.
Local residents, who knew the white-bearded Sleight from his years in the Santa costume, were stunned by his arrest.
“I’m just amazed and shocked. I would have never thought that,” Kim Lambert told WROL. “I have a lot of grandchildren. So, it’s very shocking.”
Lambert had met with Sleight several times in the past. Santa Land sits on her family’s property.
“He’s just really always been a super nice person,” she told the local news station. “So, I’m very shocked to hear that.”
Sleight no longer works at Santa Land, the business confirmed.
The Cherokee Indian Police Department said that Sleight’s arrest is connected to the case of local Caroline Roland, 39, who allegedly led a child trafficking ring.
Sleight was one of Roland’s customers, the department said.
Roland was arrested on June 5 and was hit with 11 charges including child abuse, maiming, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and inflicting serious injury.
Roland severely injured a 5-year-old girl by slamming the child’s hands on a table, causing “multiple broken bones to each hand on multiple different digits,” according to court documents obtained by the news station.
She then allegedly picked up the girl and threw her to the ground and repeatedly smashed her face into the floor until she stopped breathing.
The child was resuscitated through CPR and required surgery. Additional injuries all over her body were discovered at the hospital.
Neighbors living next to Roland told the outlet they suspected suspicious activity in the home after noticing strangers frequently coming through the typically “quiet neighborhood.”
Roland’s next court date has been scheduled for Oct. 23.
If you have been sexually assaulted and live in New York, you can call 1-800-942-6906 for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the state, you can dial the 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
