Arrest comes in July indecent exposure incident

Historic City News was informed that a 54-year-old St Johns area resident was arrested Saturday morning after investigators obtained sufficient evidence to obtain a warrant charging that he was publicly masturbating in front of three pre-teenaged girls.

St Johns County Sheriff’s Detectives Bill Werle and George Harrigan investigated the incident that occurred at the Julington Creek Plantation pool on July 27, 2014. The arrest warrant alleges three charges of lewd and lascivious behavior by an adult, where the victim is less than 16-years-old.

Melvin Orlando Soto, who resides at 1218 South Kyle Way in St Johns, was booked into the St Johns County Jail on Saturday, August 16th at 11:28 a.m. and then released at 1:37 p.m. after posting a $45,000 bond.

Soto was arrested for similar allegations in 2006. At that time the State Attorney declined to prosecute.