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TOWN OF AMSTERDAM — A Pattersonville man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly exposing himself to a female customer at the Walmart in the town of Amsterdam, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.
Jonathan C. Gardiner, 32, was charged with public lewdness and second-degree criminal nuisance, both class B misdemeanors. He was also charged with second-degree harassment and disorderly conduct, both violations.
Deputies allege Gardiner repeatedly exposed and touched his genitals while watching the woman and following her around the store on Saturday afternoon.
The victim reported the incident to Walmart asset protection staff before filing an online complaint with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, leading to an immediate investigation.
Deputies do not believe the woman was known to Gardiner, according to Sheriff Jeffery Smith.
The woman reportedly captured photos and video of the suspect during the incident, which deputies used in their investigation, along with store surveillance footage, to identify Gardiner.
“A deputy actually knew from past dealings who he was,” Smith said Monday.
Declining to go into further detail, Smith said only that the deputy’s recognition of Gardiner was not from a prior arrest.
Gardiner was taken into custody the day of the incident at 10:09 p.m. He was held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility before being arraigned in Amsterdam City Court. He was released to appear at a later date in Amsterdam Town Court.
Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
Reach Ashley Onyon at [email protected] or @AshleyOnyon on Twitter.
