Gustavo Miranda (Photo: TRPD)
After arresting a 73-year-old man from the Holiday City retirement community for following an 8-year-old girl through a Toms River Dollar Tree store and exposing himself to her, police continued their investigation and announced new charges against the suspect Thursday.
Gustavo Miranda, 73, of Buena Vista Drive, is now facing additional charges after police say their investigation revealed that Miranda was in his car outside the Boscov’s store in the Ocean County Mall on Sept. 11 while masturbating as a 31-year-old woman and her 8-year-old daughter were walking by. Miranda was watching the pair while engaging in the act, police said.
The Sept. 11 incident, which occurred at 5:32 p.m. that day, resulted in additional charges filed for sexual assault, endangering the welfare of the child, and lewdness.
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Miranda surrendered himself on Nov. 25, and was released on an additional bail of $100,000 that was added to his original bail of $75,000.
“It should be noted that there was never any direct physical contact between Miranda and the victims,” said Toms River Police spokesman Ralph Stocco.
The charges of sexual assault arise from the fact that a child victim observed the lewd acts which elevates the grading of the crimes, Stocco said.
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