Sex Offender Caught Masturbating At University In Marin: Police

SAN RAFAEL, CA – A convicted sex offender was arrested Tuesday after he was spotted allegedly masturbating at Dominican University in San Rafael. Jose Antonio Garcilazo, 27, of Sonoma, was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure and booked into Marin County Jail.

Two students were walking on campus on Sept. 9 when a driver pulled up alongside them and appeared to masturbate while looking at them, according to police. The students contacted campus security and provided a description of the driver and the vehicle.

A security officer saw the suspect in the area and asked him if he was a student at the university. The man claimed he was, but he could not provide an identification card on request. He fled the scene, and the security officer called police with the vehicle's description and license plate number.

San Rafael police linked the vehicle to Garcilazo, a convicted sex offender for prior instances of indecent exposure in Sonoma County, said San Rafael police Sgt. Lisa Holton. Police also connected the vehicle to two prior reported indecent exposure incidents from 2017.

On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies in Sonoma spotted Garcilazo's vehicle and stopped it in traffic. Deputies detained Garcilazo and turned him over to San Rafael police. He was then arrested.

Police were investigating whether Garcilazo may be linked to other reports of incident exposure, Holton said.

Anyone with information about this case was asked to call San Rafael police at 415-485-3000. Witnesses may remain anonymous. Tips can also be submitted online at www.srpd.org/tips.

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