Richard James Staples, 51, is charged with indecent exposure following an incident at the Regency Beauty Institute in the 19700 block of the North Freeway on Wednesday. Witnesses told investigators a man, who they later identified as Staples, walked up to the business in a tutu and exposed himself.
One of the women inside was able to shoot video of the man, which was turned over to deputy constables. A license plate of a red truck the suspect was driving was visible, which led them to Staples.
Through a photo spread, deputies say a witness was able to identify Staples as the suspect.
Staples was arrested this morning. Bond in the case has been set at $1,000.
The indecent exposure charge is a misdemeanor, but investigators believe they can tie Staples to other crimes in the area of I-45 and Cypresswood and ask that people come forward if something similar has happened to them. Investigators say three charges of this nature would upgrade it to a felony.
"Normally when we see cases such as this, they progress and they get into much more aggressive behavior and they go into a downward spiral," Assistant Chief Mark Herman with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office.
Investigators say Staples works with a pest control business so he may have been in and out of several homes and businesses. They say he gave a full confession.