Iowa City man accused of exposing himself at public library

An Iowa City man has been charged with indecent exposure after authorities say he exposed and began touching himself in the children's book section at the Iowa City Public Library.

According to Iowa City police,  Eusebio Rodriguez, 49, of 831 Crosspark Ave. No. 1C, exposed himself to two teenage girls that were seated on a couch in the children's section at approximately 3:30 p.m. Aug. 3. He then began touching himself, police said.

Iowa City Police Sgt. Denise Brotherton says that the alleged incident was reported to police on the same day of the incident by one of the two witnesses after she had told her mother what had happened.

"They contacted the library and us [the Iowa City Police Department] right away," Brotherton said.

The two witnesses, both of whom are in junior high school, told authorities that Rodriguez was looking at people in the library during the incident.

Library security cameras captured Rodriguez on film entering the library, going to the children's book area and then exiting the building at the same time the two witnesses left, police said.

Brotherton said Rodriguez was identified quickly after conducting an investigation, but the case was delayed slightly because the girl and her family had left town to go on vacation.

"Last week she came back from vacation and was able to positively identify him on tape," Brotherton said. "But we had not been able to locate him."

According to Brotherton, Rodriguez came into the library again Monday, and police were immediately contacted by library staff.

When questioned by police, Rodriguez allegedly admitted to being in the children's section, scratching his groin area and becoming aroused on the date of the incident.

Rodriguez was being held at the Johnson County Jail Tuesday, awaiting an initial court appearance.

Rodriguez has not faced similar charges in Iowa in the past, according to court records.