Santa Clara Indecent Exposure Suspect Was Wanted In 7 Lake Tahoe Incidents: Police

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA -- Santa Clara police say they have arrested a San Jose man who was wanted for a series of alleged indecent exposure incidents involving young children at Lake Tahoe-area ski resorts. Wellington Potter, 34, was arrested July 20 after Santa Clara police detectives learned of similarities between an indecent exposure suspect in Santa Clara and the suspect in seven Placer County incidents.

The alleged Santa Clara incident occurred at 7 p.m. July 17 near the intersection of Fresno Street and Alpine Avenue when a man driving a white Volkswagen Jetta stopped and called a 9-year-old child over to his car window and exposed himself while masturbating, according to Santa Clara police Lt. Dan Moreno.

"A few days later, a Santa Clara police detective reviewed a law enforcement flier put out by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office in Lake Tahoe," Moreno said. "The flier identified suspect Wellington Potter as exposing himself on seven different occasions in the Lake Tahoe area between March 2017 and April 2017, at various ski resorts. Suspect Potter would target mostly young girls from 7 to 15 years old. One victim was 30 years old. A Santa Clara detective discovered that Potter drove a white VW Jetta and noted similarities between the Placer County cases and the Santa Clara case."

On July 20, Potter was located by detectives from the Santa Clara Police Special Enforcement Team in the area of Homestead Road and Los Padres Boulevard, Moreno said.

Potter was driving his white 1999 four-door VW Jetta, Moreno said, and detectives believe he had just exposed himself to two young girls who were walking nearby.

"They [the detectives] saw the girls' reaction and that he had pulled over," Moreno told Patch. "They talked to the girls right after."

The detectives arrested Potter and he was booked into a Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of three counts of indecent exposure and three counts of annoying a child younger than 16.

"Placer County detectives came to town to interview Potter regarding their seven cases," Moreno said.

Potter has since been released from Santa Clara County custody after posting bail.

Santa Clara police are continuing their investigation and ask anyone with information regarding the alleged incidents to call Detective John Terry at 408-615-4812.

Photos courtesy of Santa Clara Police Department