Docs: Registered sex offender exposes himself at bookstore in Downtown Las Cruces

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 36-year-old registered sex offender has been charged with indecent exposure after exposing himself at a bookstore on Monday, April 1 in Downtown Las Cruces, according to court documents obtained by KTSM.

Court documents say employees have a picture of Matthew Gus Lopez, 36, labeled as “the flasher” due to previous incidents at Coas Bookstore located at 317 N Main St. in Downtown Las Cruces.

Court documents say Lopez walked into Coas Bookstore at around 10 a.m. that Monday, and an employee recognized him from a previous encounter where he exposed himself.

While the employee was helping a customer, she saw Lopez in between the aisles of the bookshelves.

The employee told police that she saw a hole in Lopez’s shorts and saw his genital area, according to court documents.

The employee also told police that Lopez was looking around as if he was waiting for someone to notice him, according to court documents.

The employee told police that she asked Lopez to leave and he later came back to the front of the store several times, according to court documents.

Court documents also say that customers made several complaints stating that Lopez was exposing himself outside of the store.

Lopez was later identified after being at another business he was not allowed at that same day, according to court documents.

Police ran Lopez through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system and discovered he was a registered sex offender.

Lopez was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with no bond on Tuesday, April 2.

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