OC Man Arrested In High School Flasher Attacks
FULLERTON (CBS) — An Anaheim man suspected of exposing himself to at least seven girls outside schools in Orange County was behind bars on Friday, police said.
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Ruben Rodriguez, 21, was arrested Thursday night at his home on a warrant for seven counts of lewd conduct in a public place, seven counts of indecent exposure and two counts of lewd conduct in a public place, all misdemeanors, according to Fullerton police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich and court records.
He was being held on $170,000 bail in the Fullerton jail, Goodrich said.
Rodriguez was cited for allegedly exposing himself Sept. 9 to two 17-year-old girls at Dale and Whitaker streets in Buena Park near Buena Park High School, Goodrich said.
In the following weeks, at least five other girls reported a man exposed himself to them near Sunny Hills High School and Nicolas Junior High School in Fullerton, Goodrich said.
A school resource officer assigned to Troy High School remembered Rodriguez was cited for allegedly exposing himself in Buena Park and thought he might be a suspect in the Fullerton incidents, so police showed the girls mugshots, Goodrich said.
The most recent incidents were Tuesday before classes started at Sunny Hills High School, Goodrich said. Two 14-year-old girls told police a man exposed himself to them while they walked to school.
Fullerton police had beefed up patrols near the schools, Goodrich said. Because of the "serial nature" of the crimes, investigators worried, "he would get more and more bold and we'd have a real tragedy," Goodrich said.
Victims told police Rodriguez would stand near his pickup truck with his back to an approaching girl, and when she got close, he would turn around and expose himself and masturbate, Goodrich said.
Investigators think there may be more victims and asked anyone with information to call Detective Stuart Hamilton at (714) 738-3301 or the main police line at (714) 738-6715.
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