Man Accused In 5 Indecent Exposures: Santa Rosa Police

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A man accused of driving around Santa Rosa in a gold Toyota Prius and exposing and touching himself as women were walking or running nearby is behind bars after a weeks-long investigation, Santa Rosa police said.

The first tip that a parolee was suspected in a series of indecent exposure incidents was received June 1, Santa Rosa police Sgt. Brenda Harrington said.

"A Sonoma County Parole Agent reported friends of 38-year-old Santa Rosa resident Parolee Joseph Simmons suspected he had committed several acts of indecent exposure throughout Santa Rosa," Harrington said.

Detectives followed up with the tipsters and learned Simmons was suspected in at least five instances of indecent exposure on different days dating back to April 1 in the Rincon Valley, downtown and Bennett Valley areas of Santa Rosa, Harrington said.

Residents were warning one another on social media apps about a white man driving a gold Prius who was exposing and touching himself in his car as women were walking or running nearby, police said.

Harrington said Simmons' friends saw the social media posts and based on the suspect and vehicle description, they believed he was the offender.

His friends confronted him and got some statements. One of the friends also informed Simmons' parole agent about their suspicions.

Meanwhile, detectives were able to contact the victims because of their social media posts.

"Those victims provided independent statements and were independently shown a photo lineup containing Simmons," Harrington said. "Based on the information learned, detectives developed probable cause to believe Simmons was the suspect in the indecent exposure cases."

Because indecent exposure is a misdemeanor crime, the detectives would have needed to observe the crime happen or a victim would have to place the offender under citizen’s arrest at the time of the crime, Harrington said.

The detectives decided to submit their findings to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for review, and a warrant was soon issued for Simmons' arrest.

Simmons was taken in custody at 1 p.m. Tuesday on the misdemeanor indecent exposure warrant.

He was booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of five counts of misdemeanor indecent exposure, one count of misdemeanor attempted indecent exposure, and a felony parole violation, according to police and jail records.

Simmons remained in custody Friday; he was being held without bail because of the parole violation, jail records showed.

He is due in court July 6.

Police ask anyone who has additional information regarding the case to call the tip line at 707-543-4040.