Fort Bend County woman: Police not called fast enough after lewd act

Woman reports man exposing himself inside Hobby Lobby on Highway 6

MISSOURI CITY, Texas – A Fort Bend County woman is angry police were not called sooner after she reported a man exposing himself inside an arts and craft store.

According to Missouri City police the incident happened inside a Hobby Lobby on Highway 6.

"I felt, I felt dirty," said Sophia Brown.

Brown said she was shopping at Hobby Lobby when she spotted a man holding a picture frame like he was another customer. Brown said the way the man was looking at her made her uncomfortable.

"He really did make me nervous," said Brown. "I thought he was going to take my purse."

Brown said that gut feeling made her move to another part of the store, but a short time later she saw the man show up at the end of the aisle she was perusing.

"I start hearing things and I'm saying, 'Self, I know I don't hear what I think I'm hearing,'" said Brown. "And when I turned around the gentleman was masturbating."

Brown said she screamed for employees to call police.

"I was shaking like a leaf on a tree, I felt violated," said Brown.

Brown said the man who exposed himself didn't seem concerned about being caught.

"He looked, he stopped like, 'I'm done, I'm on my way out. See you later,' and he walked right out the door," said Brown.

Brown said the store manager assured her he called police and even had an employee escort her to her car. Hours later, Brown said her son questioned why police had not called her to get a description of the man. Brown said when she called the Missouri City Police Department she was told no one had reported the incident.

"If I had known he did not call the police, I would have called the police," said Brown.

Sgt. Russell Terry told Local 2 they have no record of anyone from the store reporting this incident. They only have Brown's call that came long after the man had left the area.

"Do you think maybe this guy could have been caught had the police been called right then and there?" asked Local 2 Investigator Robert Arnold.

"I think they could have," said Brown. "This man can come in and strike again, do this to a kid or someone's mother or grandmother."

Local 2 tried to speak with a customer service manager with the company, but our call has not yet been returned. Brown said she did get a call from corporate officials and was promised the company would investigate this incident.

Missouri City police describe the suspect as an African-American man about 6 feet tall with a bald head and discolored teeth. At the time of the incident, police report he was wearing a light-colored shirt and Khaki pants.

If you know anything about this crime please call the Missouri City Police Department at 281-403-8700 or Fort Bend County Crimestoppers at 281-342-TIPS.


About the Author:

Award winning investigative journalist who joined KPRC 2 in July 2000. Husband and father of the Master of Disaster and Chaos Gremlin. “I don’t drink coffee to wake up, I wake up to drink coffee.”