Suffolk County Police today arrested a man who committed lewd acts in public and touched a woman inappropriately since May.

Fourth Precinct Patrol officers responded to Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge following a report of a man masturbating in a black 2003 Honda CR-V while attempting to talk to 39-year-old woman walking in a parking lot at approximately 3 p.m. The suspect then fled the scene.

Following an investigation by Fourth Squad detectives, Franklin Portillo-Hernandez was arrested by Sixth Precinct Investigative Unit officers at his home, located at 106 Granny Road. Detectives have determined Portillo-Hernandez committed two previous crimes:

• He inappropriately touched a woman at 1850 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, reported on May 12 at 8:15 p.m.
• He masturbated in a car outside of a residence in plain view on Helen Marie Place, Hauppauge, reported on August 7 at 11:57 a.m.

Portillo-Hernandez, 26, was charged with two counts of Public Lewdness and one count of Forcible Touching. He is being held overnight at the Fourth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on August 10.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8452.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.