Registered Sex Offender Arrested in Watsonville for Indecent Exposure, Authorities Believe There May Be Additional Victims
WATSONVILLE, CA — The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office has initiated prosecution against a registered sex offender in connection with a recent act of public indecency targeting a woman in Watsonville.
The accused individual, James Dineen, 27, of Aptos, is alleged to have exposed himself to the victim while she was walking near Center Street. Dineen was reportedly seated inside his gray Toyota Camry at the time of the incident.
The woman was able to obtain the license plate number of the vehicle and this information was furnished to the responding law enforcement personnel and subsequently inputted into the Watsonville Police Department’s automated license plate reader system. The system’s Flock Safety Cameras later signaled to officers that Dineen was present within the city limits on Monday evening.
This alert facilitated a traffic stop on the 500 block of Green Valley Road shortly thereafter, leading to Dineen’s apprehension and formal arrest. He was subsequently booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on counts of aggravated indecent exposure.
Authorities have disclosed that Dineen possesses a history of similar criminal conduct within the California central coast area. Given this pattern, the District Attorney’s Office and the police department believe that other individuals may have been victims of Dineen’s actions. The public is asked to communicate any relevant information to Detective Collin Travers directly at 831-768-3321.
