Jeffrey Malcolm, 35, was arrested after the girl’s mother contacted authorities about the encounter at a Philippi, West Virginia, store.
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — A Dollar General manager has been charged with soliciting a minor after authorities alleged he locked a girl inside the West Virginia store, paid for some of her merchandise and made inappropriate remarks during an encounter that prompted her mother to contact police.
Jeffrey Malcolm, 35, of Philippi was arrested by the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 12 and booked into the Tygart Valley Regional Jail in Belington, according to law enforcement records and reporting based on a criminal complaint. He faces one count of soliciting a minor and remained held on a $40,000 bond in the latest reporting Thursday. The charge is an allegation and has not been proven in court.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl had been dropped off at the Dollar General when Malcolm waved for her to enter. She told investigators that the door was then locked. Police said Malcolm accompanied her through the store as she selected party supplies and later approached the checkout area.
The complaint states that Malcolm instructed another employee not to ring up the girl’s purchase because he would handle the transaction. Investigators said Malcolm told her he was giving her a manager’s discount and paid for a basket and card, leaving her to pay only for a package of chewing gum. Authorities allege he then asked what she would do for him because he had paid for the merchandise.
The girl told deputies she became frightened during the encounter. When other employees went outside to take out the trash, Malcolm had to unlock the door, according to the complaint. The girl then left the store. Deputies said she was crying and visibly shaken when they later spoke with her. Her name and age have not been publicly released because she is a minor.
Investigators also seized Malcolm’s cellphone after the girl told deputies she had previously seen him taking photographs of underage girls at a fair, according to the complaint. Authorities have not publicly announced whether investigators found any evidence on the device supporting that allegation, and no additional charge related to the claim was identified in the reports reviewed Thursday.
When questioned by deputies, Malcolm acknowledged buying the girl’s items and locking the store door, according to the complaint. He told investigators that locking the door was consistent with procedures he had been trained to follow. He denied making the alleged remark asking what the girl would do for him in return for paying for the merchandise.
The complaint also states that Malcolm acknowledged drinking alcohol while working. Deputies reported that a preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.136%. That information is part of the police account of the investigation; the reports reviewed did not identify a separate alcohol-related criminal charge arising from the test.
People reported Thursday that inmate records showed Malcolm remained in custody on a $40,000 bond. The publication said it had contacted the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office for additional comment. Authorities have not publicly disclosed further findings from the seized phone or announced additional charges in the case.
The investigation and criminal case remain pending. No court finding has established Malcolm’s guilt, and the publicly available reports reviewed Thursday did not identify a trial date or other final disposition in the case.
Author note: Last updated September 17, 2026.