On March 11, a man fitting the description of the suspect of the previous indecent exposure incident was spotted in a neighborhood near the intersection of Harvard and Irvine Center Drive.
The suspect reportedly followed a 12 year-old girl walking home from school, trying to talk to her on the false pretenses of asking for directions. He then continued to attempt conversation when the student reached her home. No indecent exposure or sexual assault was attempted, but he matched the description given by previous exposure victims from the past months.
Police have linked the suspect to at least four harassment cases spanning the course of the last three months.
The suspect is a light-skinned male 20 to 30 years of age, and his vehicle is reportedly a dark-colored sedan with tinted windows. Suspects have identified the first four characters of the sedan’s license plate as either 6NHB or 6HNB.
If caught, the culprit will face up to 6 months in prison and $1,000 in fines, assuming this is his first violation of indecent exposure laws. However, if this is his second violation, the crime is considered a felony, and he may serve up to three years in the state prison system and be liable for $10,000 in fines. The suspect will also have to register as a sex offender, affecting his employment eligibility and legal places of residence, among other things.
The entire indecent exposure case serves as an alarming reminder of the dangers that all citizens face, even in a city with a safety record as well-maintained as Irvine’s.
By JACOB FEUERBORN
Staff Writer