Authorities seek reports from additional victims in Platte County public exposure case
Note: This report contains details of a case involving alleged sexual violence and may contain triggers for those who have experienced sexual abuse. Resources are available to victims through the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673.
A man accused of exposing himself and engaging in a sex act in public has been charged in Platte County, and authorities are asking other possible victims to report any similar incidents related to the alleged crime.
James D. Jones II faces charges of aggravated first-degree sexual abuse. According to court documents, on Sept. 13, a man alleged to be Jones was shopping in the children’s section of a local retail store. As an employee of the store used a computer, Jones stood behind her. The woman allegedly felt him touch her lower back.
When the woman asked what Jones was doing, he denied touching her, Platte County records say. She then felt her lower back was wet and yelled at Jones to leave, and he did, court documents say.
The woman’s jeans were recovered for testing and the Kansas City Police Crime laboratory identified semen on the jeans, court documents show.
“We have reason to believe this defendant may have exposed himself and completed a sex act in public on other occasions,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said in a statement.
“We believe he may have done so in the presence of middle-aged women or possibly others,” he said. “We urge anyone who believes they may have witnessed such an act or have been victimized by this defendant to contact police.”
A probable cause statement from Kansas City Police Department investigators said Jones was identified in relation to another case that occurred in August, when Jones was alleged to have engaged in a sex act at another Kansas City, Missouri, retail store.
The probable cause statement said the detective obtained a search warrant for Jones’ cell phone. The statement said his phone contained photos showing five instances where Jones was allegedly standing behind victims while holding his penis and four photos showing where he may have ejaculated on victims’ lower back or midsection.
The victim in the Platte County case identified herself in the photos, the probable cause statement said.
Zahnd said anyone who believes they may have witnessed or been victimized in a similar incident can call the KCPD sex crimes unit at 816-234-5220.
Jones is in custody with a $100,000 cash bond. If convicted of first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 5:25 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story had the wrong phone number for the KCPD Sex Crimes unit, which should be 816-234-5220.
