Man arrested after reportedly exposing himself at Rexburg DMV
Published at | Updated at
REXBURG — A Rexburg man allegedly exposed himself at the Madison County Department of Motor Vehicles office Thursday afternoon.
When Madison County Sheriff deputies arrived, 36-year-old Jake Cooper Sperl had already left the building, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police spoke with witnesses who told them Sperl had his genitals exposed in the building’s lobby on North 2nd East.
Specifically, a woman at the DMV told investigators she saw Sperl sitting across from her in the lobby. After her son went to the driver’s license desk, Sperl moved next to her said, “Hello.” The woman told investigators that she noticed Sperl had his fully exposed genitals. Sperl then allegedly sat across from her and spread his legs apart.
“She stated that she was extremely disturbed by this and informed DMV staff then left to sit in her car,” according to the probable cause.
RELATED | Rexburg man exposes himself in public, say police
A county employee was sent over to confront Sperl, who said that he saw the man on his phone. The worker said that when he went to inform Sperl to zip up his pants, he noticed the man’s genitals erect and protruding out of his pants.
Before leaving in his vehicle, Sperl is said to have noticed the woman sitting in her car, and he again grabbed his genitals in front of her.
Sperl was interviewed by police at his mother’s home. A deputy wrote that “Mr. Sperl stated of the incident that he was embarrassed to find himself exposed when the male employee told him he was exposed.”
In 2018, Sperl spent 15-days in jail for another indecent exposure incident. Police reports show police found Sperl outside the apartment complex masturbating while watching something on his cell phone. Neighbors had called police reporting Sperl.
For the incident, Sperl pleaded guilty to misdemeanor indecent exposure. With Sperl already having a misdemeanor indecent exposure conviction in the last five years, Sperl is now charged with felony indecent exposure.
He remains held in the Madison County Jail on $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 23 before Magistrate Judge David Hunt.