Records: Man arrested for multiple indecent exposures on Cornelius greenway

CORNELIUS, N.C. — An undercover operation led to the arrest of a man accused of exposing himself multiple times on a trail in Cornelius, records show.

Investigators said several tips from the community pushed officers to go undercover to find the suspect.

According to the arrest sheet for 27-year-old Austin Scott Moyer, Cornelius police detectives set up the operation around 4 p.m. Saturday at McDowell Creek Greenway, near Birkdale Village.

Police said on March 18, a man was caught “committing lewd acts” on the red trail greenway. They said on that day, someone recorded him in a dark-colored hoodie, black sweatpants, a black mask, and green shoes. He was inappropriately touching himself while she walked by, police said.

Twelve days later, on March 30, police said a camera they put on the trail caught the same man wearing the same clothes. He appeared to be exposing himself on the trail again, they said.

Then on Saturday, detectives went undercover. A detective walked past Moyer along the trail toward the opposite end, waited a few minutes, and walked back. Police said around 6 p.m., Moyer walked by wearing the same clothes with no mask. Shortly afterward, they saw him exposing himself while holding his phone.

Moyer took off running, police said, but undercover officers quickly arrested him for indecent exposure. After searching, officers found a black mask and a lubricant.

Moyer confessed to detectives, Cornelius police said. He’s been charged with one count of indecent exposure but police expect to file more charges against him.

He’s being held under a $10,000 bond.

“I’m glad that the proper groups were able to take care of it,” said John Howard, who runs the trail a couple times a week.

Howard said his wife told him about a man exposing himself there a few weeks ago.

“It’s just frustrating to hear that somebody would do something like that, especially in a nice area that the community provides and everything,” he said.

It’s unclear where Moyer is currently living, but his listed address is in Pennsylvania.

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