A 48-year-old man is behind bars after police say he exposed himself to two girls inside a North Miami Beach apartment complex — and investigators say surveillance video appears to back up the disturbing allegations.
The suspect has been identified as Eric Leon Wilson, who was arrested after police responded to the apartment complex Friday night following a report involving two minors.
According to the arrest report, the two girls, ages 10 and 17, were simply taking out the trash at around 8:45 p.m. when they walked past Wilson’s apartment.
Police say the girls noticed Wilson watching them from down the hallway with his red shorts pulled down.
When they turned around, investigators say they saw Wilson exposing himself.
The girls reportedly became frightened and did not want to walk back past Wilson’s apartment. Instead, police said they went outside and took another route to get back to their own apartments.
But the situation allegedly didn’t end there.
As the girls walked outside, they told investigators they saw Wilson watching them from his balcony, according to the arrest report.
Police later reviewed surveillance footage from the apartment complex and said the video corroborated the girls’ accounts. Investigators said the footage showed Wilson watching the children while taking out the trash, with his shorts pulled halfway down.
The girls also reportedly took a photograph during the incident, which police said helped them identify Wilson.
When officers initially encountered Wilson outside his apartment, he reportedly told them that he had just returned home from work.
After being read his Miranda rights, Wilson agreed to speak with investigators but allegedly denied having contact with anyone. According to the arrest report, he repeatedly maintained that he had just gotten home from work.
The 17-year-old also made another allegation that raised additional concerns for investigators.
She reportedly told police that she had seen Wilson watching her from the parking lot on two previous occasions while she was inside her bedroom. However, according to the report, she was unable to provide specific dates or times for those alleged incidents.
Police said the 17-year-old provided investigators with a written statement, while the 10-year-old gave a video statement to an officer.
Wilson was ultimately arrested and booked on charges including lewd and lascivious exhibition on a child, indecent exposure, and disorderly conduct/breach of the peace.
Online jail records showed Wilson being held at the MetroWest Detention Center on an $8,650 bond as of Monday morning.
The allegations are especially disturbing because police say the encounter happened inside the children’s own apartment complex while they were simply doing something as routine as taking out the trash.
For now, however, Wilson is accused — not convicted. The allegations contained in the arrest report still have to be proven in court, and Wilson has reportedly denied having contact with anyone involved.
The case remains under investigation.
Video Credit: www.local10.com
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