A 16-year-old Palm Coast boy was arrested this week after deputies say he pulled up to pedestrians, pretended to ask for directions and then exposed himself from the driver’s seat of a white pickup truck. Flagler County investigators linked him to three separate incidents, including encounters with two elderly residents, and say he later described the behavior to deputies as a “prank.” He was booked by the sheriff’s office, turned over to juvenile authorities and then released to his parents.
Deputies Link Teen to Three Street Encounters
According to a news release from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, deputies tied the teen to incidents on Jan. 30 in Palm Coast’s R‑Section on Rydell Lane and on Feb. 11 in the P‑Section on Piedmont Drive. In the January case, an elderly woman told deputies a man in a white pickup stopped, asked for directions to a nearby park and then exposed himself while she was answering.
On Feb. 11, two women, one of them elderly, reported that a young Hispanic male in a white Toyota Tundra pulled over to ask for directions to McDonald’s, unzipped his pants and made suggestive comments, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff: Behavior Is “Textbook” Red Flag
Sheriff Rick Staly did not treat the teen’s “prank” explanation lightly. In the release from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Staly called the conduct “extremely disturbing” and said it fits a “textbook example of how serious sex offenders start their perverted actions.” He praised deputies and detectives for tracking down the vehicle and said investigators would keep working leads tied to the case.
Traffic Stop Leads to Identification
After the Feb. 11 reports, deputies spotted a white Toyota Tundra matching the description and pulled it over for several traffic violations. The two women from the Feb. 11 calls later identified the driver as 16-year-old Palm Coast resident Rene Alas Aleman, investigators told WFTV.
Deputies interviewed the teen with his mother present. He told them he thought the incidents were a prank that would be funny, according to the station. WFTV also noted that detectives connected reports from different parts of Palm Coast before making the arrest.
Charges, Booking and Juvenile Custody
The teen is facing one count of lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of an elderly person and two counts of exposure of sexual organs, according to the Tampa Free Press. That outlet reported that detectives said the teen admitted targeting women walking alone after watching similar videos on pornography websites.
He was processed at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, then turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and later released to his parents, the Tampa Free Press reported.
Experts Flag Risks of Early Sexual Content
Researchers have long warned that early exposure to explicit material can shape how kids and teens behave. A 2023 systematic review in Child Abuse & Neglect found significant links between exposure to sexual content, including online pornography, and later problematic sexual behavior, underscoring calls for parental supervision and age-appropriate sex education.
Sheriff Staly has echoed that concern, urging parents to know what their kids are watching online and to talk with them about boundaries and respect, according to the Tampa Free Press. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate and is asking anyone with information about similar incidents to contact the agency.
