Police are asking for the public's help after a man allegedly exposed himself to a 15-year-old on a Brooklyn subway platform, then calmly stayed behind as the teen fled on a Manhattan-bound train.
According to a wanted notice from NYPD Crime Stoppers, the incident unfolded on Thursday, Feb. 26, at about 3 p.m. on the President St–Medgar Evers College station platform in Crown Heights. The teen boarded a Manhattan-bound 2 train right after the encounter, while the suspect remained on the platform, the alert states.
The wanted flyer, posted Saturday on X by NYPD Crime Stoppers, says the man approached the 15-year-old from behind, exposed himself and performed a lewd act, then did not leave the station with the victim. The post notes that tipsters could receive a reward of up to $3,500 and lists English and Spanish hotlines for anonymous calls. Investigators are urging anyone who recognizes the man, or has information about what happened, to speak up.
Where it happened
The President St–Medgar Evers College station is located at President Street and Nostrand Avenue and is served by the 2 train at all times, with 5-train service on weekdays, according to Wikipedia. Transit listings on Moovit place the station within the NYPD's 71st Precinct area and under the umbrella of Transit District 32.
How to help
Anyone with information, including station video or cellphone footage, is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or to submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, according to the city's Crime Stoppers program. The program states that rewards of up to $3,500 are available for tips that lead to an arrest or indictment. Callers can remain anonymous and may still qualify for payment if their information is used.
Legal implications
Public lewdness and exposure-related offenses are covered under Article 245 of New York's penal law and are treated as a class B misdemeanor, according to the New York State Senate. The legislation addresses exposure "in the presence of a minor" and outlines higher degrees and aggravated versions for certain conduct. Penalties can include fines and short jail terms, per legal resources such as FindLaw, and prosecutors determine the specific charges based on the facts of the case and any prior convictions.
Transit context
This latest alert is part of a string of transit-related lewdness and abuse cases that have recently landed on detectives' desks. Earlier this month, NYPD Crime Stoppers circulated a wanted flyer for an alleged sexual assault on a Q77 bus in Queens, a case covered in a Q77 bus sex abuse case report. Police also previously asked for help after a separate Patch covered a 2024 flashing incident at the President Street station. Those earlier appeals highlight how investigators routinely lean on bystander video and surveillance footage to pick suspects out of crowded trains and platforms.
For this case, as with others, anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), sending a message to @NYPDTips on X, or filing a tip at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org. The program allows anonymous submissions and may provide a reward if the information leads to an arrest and indictment.
