Santa Claus impersonator arraigned in child sex sting case

The man who portrays Santa in Ticonderoga and who was busted last week in a child sex sting is back in police custody after he failed to show up in court.

CBS6 has been reporting on Clarence Russell Jr. over the past several days.

He was supposed to appear in court Wednesday but failed to appear. His estranged daughter told CBS6 last week that she was glad he had been caught.

“He can't get away with it anymore. His face is literally out there, everywhere. So if the justice system fails again, this time he can't do — there's not much for him,” she said.

Russell Jr. is facing attempted rape and child welfare charges.

An amateur investigator lured him with the promise of a woman offering her children for sex and then alerted police when he showed up.