Police bust man for lewdness

LONG BRANCH - A 10-month investigation into reported lewdness acts in Long Branch concluded last week with the arrest of a city man.

The Long Branch Police Department arrested and charged Julio Filho Costa, 22, with six counts of lewdness on June 24.

According to police, in October 2006 police responded to the area of North Bath Avenue on a report of a male who exposed his buttocks to two women walking a dog.

The male was described as Hispanic and approximately 6 feet tall, according to police reports, which state that the man pulled up in a white four-door vehicle.

The women told police that the man pulled up in his car, exited the vehicle and then pulled down his pants to expose his buttocks revealing a white thong-style undergarment, police said.

Over the next eight months, police responded to five similar calls in which a tall man driving a white four-door vehicle exposed himself wearing only a white thong, according to reports.

On June 24, Police Officer Michael Ahart reported he was on patrol in the area of Park Avenue when a senior citizen approached him and said a male had exposed himself to her as she was jogging.

According to the victim, the accused was wearing a white lace thong when he exposed his buttocks to her and then entered a white vehicle and left the area.

Long Branch Detectives Edward Hennelly, Michael Verdaderio and Brendan Cahill were able to develop information, which led to the arrest of Costa, according to police.

The vehicle in the incidents is a 1993 four-door white Dodge Spider, according to police, who ask that anyone who has had similar incidents involving the male or vehicle matching the description contact the city's Criminal Investigation Bureau at (732) 222-8017.