Oakland man arrested on suspicion of lewd acts in South Bay, Napa County
PALO ALTO – A 27-year-old Oakland man has been arrested on suspicion of lewd acts at grocery stores in Palo Alto and Santa Clara as well as a Walmart in Napa County, according to authorities.
The most recent incident was reported around 7 p.m. Monday at the Walmart Supercenter at 7011 Main Street in American Canyon. In a news release, the American Canyon Police Department said the man was caught on camera masturbating behind a woman and ejaculating onto her clothing. She was with her two young children at the time.
Officers identified the man and learned he had a warrant for his arrest for similar incidents in Palo Alto and Santa Clara.
On Wednesday, Napa Special Investigations Bureau and Napa County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested the man in Vallejo. During an interview with detectives, the man admitted to the lewd act inside the Walmart, police said. He was booked into Napa County Jail on charges of sexual battery, indecent exposure and annoying or molesting children.
The other incidents were reported Jan. 26 at the Safeway at 2811 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto and Feb. 13 at an unspecified grocery store in Santa Clara, the Palo Alto Police Department said in a news release.
According to police, the same man was caught on camera masturbating behind a woman at the Safeway and she later reported finding a “biological fluid” on the back of her shirt and pants. A second woman told police the man had also followed her around the store.
Officers on April 14 obtained an arrest warrant charging the man with sexual battery, battery and indecent exposure for the incidents in Palo Alto and Santa Clara. In addition to the charges related to the American Canyon incident, the man was booked into jail on the warrant.
Anyone with information related to the incidents in Palo Alto and Santa Clara can contact the Palo Alto Police Department at 650-329-2413. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text 650-383-8984 or email paloalto@tipnow.org.