Metro indecent exposure suspect arrested after airing of FOX 5 exclusive report

WASHINGTON - Following an exclusive report on FOX 5, authorities said public tips have led to the arrest of a man wanted for indecent exposure on Metro and in connection with a separate groping incident.

Metro Transit Police said 31-year-old Laphonso Terrel Davis was arrested at a gas station in the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Avenue, SE within hours of FOX 5's exclusive report airing on FOX 5 at 10 p.m.

On Wednesday, a woman reported that Davis masturbated in front of her on the Blue Line train near Capitol Hill and he was also identified in another incident last Friday where he allegedly grabbed a woman's buttock at Congress Heights.

Davis is one of seven men arrested by Metro Transit Police this month for indecent exposure or misdemeanor sexual abuse. The arrests are the result of the female victims coming forward and reporting the incidents to police.

"You may not want to come forward as a victim, but at least we can connect the dots or go back, retrieve video and maybe another victim comes forward," said Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik. "But we would love everybody to report it. That is the only way we are going to get our hands on this."

Pavlik added, "It's pretty safe to say on anywhere on Metrorail, we are going to catch you. You look at the bus system as well. Every bus has cameras on it and then with our 7000 series [trains]. So as technology continues to improve, we're always looking for ways to increase that technology, share that technology, then obviously apprehend individuals like this."

Metro Transit Police are still looking for three other suspects wanted in open cases. Detectives are searching for 22-year-old John Steele of Washington D.C. He is accused of second-degree assault and indecent exposure that took place on Aug. 4 at the Southern Ave Metro station.

Police are looking for a second unidentified man accused of indecent exposure on the Red Line at the Farragut North Metro station on July 6.

Police also want to find a third unknown man accused of obscene sexual display at the Dunn Loring station on the Orange Line on Aug. 20.

Metro police reminded that there are multiple ways to report any incident of harassment, indecency or misconduct on Metro, by calling police at (202) 962-2121, by sending a Text Message to "MyMTPD" (696873), or by submitting a harassment report at wmata.com/harassment.