On Monday, sheriff’s deputies successfully apprehended a man accused of committing a shocking act of sexual assault inside a Whole Foods Market, where he allegedly placed his genitalia on a shopper’s face—a disturbing incident captured on video.
Jared Paul Estrada, a 28-year-old resident of Valencia, has been taken into custody by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. Estrada is suspected of carrying out this appalling act at the upscale supermarket’s Valencia branch, leaving shoppers in disbelief.
Estrada was arrested in Huntington Beach without any resistance, according to Sgt. Juan Murrales from the sheriff’s Santa Clarita Valley Station, which is spearheading the investigation. He now faces charges of indecent exposure and sexual battery, as confirmed by Murrales.
Murrales stated, “Thanks to an extensive investigation, the detective bureau, along with our special team, successfully tracked down the suspect involved in this case today in Huntington Beach.”
The unsettling events unfolded on March 23, when a woman shopping at the Valencia Whole Foods was the victim of an assault by a man with a beard. This individual exposed himself in a lewd act that was caught on the store’s surveillance cameras.
The footage shows the suspect approaching a female shopper while she is kneeling to look at items on display, capturing the moment that led to his arrest.
The shocking footage shows him lowering his pants before he presses his exposed genitals against the woman’s ear while holding what appears to be a cellphone.
On March 23, a woman shopping at the Valencia Whole Foods was subjected to a man who exposed himself to her — an act that was caught on the store’s security camera.
In the footage, the suspect is seen approaching a shopper as she kneels down. He’s seen on the video lowering his pants, then he presses his exposed genitals against the woman’s ear while holding what appears to be a cellphone, according to KTLA.
Authorities with the LASD sought the public’s assistance in identifying the individual shown in the video – and members of the public identified Estrada, said Murrales.
“With the public’s help, we were able to identify the suspect,” said Murrales.
Representatives for Whole Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement issued on the incident last month, a Whole Foods spokesperson said, “We are deeply concerned about the incident that occurred at our Valencia store on March 23.”
“We are cooperating fully with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in their investigation,” the statement continued. “We have provided all requested information to law enforcement.”
The sheriff’s department said in a statement that, at this time, investigators are not aware of any additional related incidents in the Santa Clarita area
