GILMAN — A young Gilman man was arrested for masturbating in public late Monday morning.

Marshall County Sheriff Deputy Blake Ihde caught Jakob Sells, 23, without pants and in the act of masturbating in the middle of Highway 146.

Sheriff Joel Phillips said three hours earlier, his office started receiving phone calls from Gilman residents about a young man peeping through windows and other strange behavior. According to Phillips, deputies went to Gilman three times to locate the person, but each time Sells was nowhere to be found.

The third time, Phillips said Ihde drove around a corner and caught Sells in the act.

“Then [Sells] took off running, and there was a short foot pursuit,” he said.

Indecent exposure is not something Marshall County deputies encounter regularly. In fact, the sheriff said it was the first time for Ihde in his 15 years of service.

Phillips said Sells was not under the influence of alcohol or any other substances, but his office will work with Sells to prevent possible future criminal behavior.

Sells is charged with indecent exposure, a serious misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,875 fine. He is being held in the Marshall County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.