Monterey Man charged with public lewdness and indecent exposure
Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo announced a Monterey resident, James Jeffrey Nichols, 53, is required to register as a sex offender after he was found guilty by jury of indecent exposure, a felony offense and committing a lewd act in public.
With two prior convictions for indecent exposure in 2013 and 2014, Nichols has also previously served a prison sentence.
The case, heard by Monterey County Superior Court Judge Carrie M. Panetta, heard that Nichols was riding the Monterey Salinas Transit (MST) bus heading down Fremont Boulevard towards the Monterey Transit Plaza.
Nichols was sitting in a seat behind the bus driver with an elderly woman seated directly across from Nichols and facing his direction. After Nichols touches his groin over his clothes, he then reached down into his sweatpants and exposed himself. He also looked at the elderly woman and licked his right hand, smiling.
The elderly woman who did not give her contact details, informed the bus driver that a man had exposed himself to her and pointed to Nichols, before exiting the bus.
The bus driver asked Nichols to stay behind however Nichols refused to speak with the bus driver and he left the scene. The entire incident was captured on the surveillance videos on the interior and exterior of the MST bus.
The case was investigated by Officer Galin from the Monterey Police Department, and Investigators Jorge Gutierrez and Oliver Minnig from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
