Suspect Who Followed Girl, 8, Through Store And Exposed Himself Arrested

Gustavo Miranda, charged with lewdness after an incident in Toms River. (Photo: Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office)

The man in the grainy surveillance photos released by Toms River police who allegedly followed an 8-year-old girl around a Dollar Tree store, then exposed himself to her by holding his genitals in his hand, has been identified and arrested.

Gustavo Miranda, 73, from Buena Vista Drive in the Holiday City section of Berkley Township, surrendered himself to authorities after being charged in the Nov. 6 incident. He faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, sexual assault and lewdness, and is now free on $75,000 bail set by Superior Court Judge Francis Hodgson on Tuesday.

Toms River police say this man exposed himself to a young girl in a Dollar Tree store. (Photo: TRPD)

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“We are exploring the possibility that there may be other victims ,” the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. Anyone with information is being asked to call Toms River Police Detective Thomas Grosse 732-349-0150 extension 1263 or Ocean County Prosecutors Detective Lindsay Woodfield at 732-929-2027.

“We wish to thank the media and public for their involvement and assistance in identifying the suspect in this case,” the statement said.

Police say Miranda followed the 8-year-old girl up and down the aisles of the Dollar Tree store located on Hooper Avenue in Toms River, and eventually placed himself extremely close to her was within her personal space. At that point, he was observed to be holding his genitals in his hand, prompting the girl’s aunt to immediately confront him. Miranda, police say, then fled the store.