WASHINGTON — Police in Arlington, Virginia have arrested three men after a string of five indecent exposures within four days, however, officials say that the crimes are not connected.
On July 9 two people were arrested and charged with indecent exposure and police say a third is still on the loose.
Khalid Benmana was arrested after police responded to the 1200 block of S. Hayes St. around 4:26 p.m. Officials say the 46-year-old entered a business and began to look at merchandise before he started touching himself inappropriately after placing his hands inside his pants. Officers took him into custody following this incident. Benmana was charged with indecent exposure.
The second person that was arrested on July 9 was 57-year-old, Michael Shepherd. Officials say they received an alert of larceny and while they were on their way, they were alerted again that the suspect had entered another business and started to expose himself. Officials say that an investigation found that the suspect entered the first business and allegedly took items and fled to the second business.
Officers found the stolen items and drug paraphernalia on the suspect while searching him during the arrest, officials say. Shepherd was charged with possession of schedule I/II controlled substance, indecent exposure, petit larceny: shopping. Officials add that he is being held without bond.
The third incident on July 9 took place on the N. George Mason Dr. at N. Henderson Rd. Officers were dispatched around 12:02 a.m. and after arriving at the scene they found that the incident occurred at 11:25 p.m. on July 8.
Officials say a woman was walking and saw a man walking behind her and exposing himself before fleeing the scene. Officials add the suspect is described to be a Middle Eastern man that was wearing a red shirt and red shorts. That investigation is still ongoing, officials say.
Another indecent exposure incident took place on July 11. Officers responded to the 5200 block of Langston Boulevard around 11:10 a.m. A woman reported she saw a man touching himself on a bench while she was walking into a building. She continued to call the police after entering the building, officials say and the suspect then fled in an unknown direction.
Police have not found the suspect but say he is described as a Black man with short black hair whose age is estimated between 30-40 years old. Officials say the suspect is about six-foot tall and at the time of the incident he was wearing black gym shorts, a red t-shirt and black tennis shoes.
That last incident among the string of indecent exposures occurred when a 34-year-old man was arrested for an indecent exposure incident on July 12 around 1:32 a.m. Officials say that officers responded to a report of trespassing and found the suspect in a business that they had previously been banned.
Officers arrested Frank Bouknight and after an investigation, police found that the suspect began masturbating after entering the lobby of the building. Bouknight is being charged with Drunk in Public, Trespassing and Indecent exposure, according to officials.