Prosecutors have charged a man with third-degree sexual assault of a minor and four counts of indecent exposure for allegedly masturbating near a child and other patrons at a local business on Sunday.
The charges stem from a Feb. 27 incident where the suspect, identified only as a 40-year-old male on March 1, reportedly masturbated multiple times while staring at customers in Walmart and at one point held his genitals near a child’s face, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
One witness told police that she noticed the male staring at her from approximately 5 feet away in the grocery aisle, moving his hand near his groin. When she noticed that his genitals were exposed and that he was masturbating, the male reportedly made eye contact with her and smiled, per the affidavit.
Another witness reported that the male exposed himself while standing next to her young child in the toy section and masturbated; at one point the male’s genitals were near the child’s face, the affidavit states, adding that the male walked away when she told him she was going to call the police.
Yet another witness said that the male exposed himself to her in the coffee aisle and walked toward her with his exposed genitals that he then thrust towards her, per the affidavit.
Walmart staff were alerted to the incident; one staff member attempted to confront the male who was walking out of the electronics department with his genitals exposed through his pants, according to the affidavit.
Video surveillance, the affidavit continues, allegedly shows the male walking in the electronics department with his genitals exposed.
When interviewed by police, the male allegedly denied all the allegations made against him, though he appeared nervous and had difficulty speaking with them, the affidavit states, adding that the male’s story about why he was in the store changed multiple times.
The male was arraigned on the charges on Feb. 28 before Circuit Court Judge Paul S. Phillips, court records indicate.
