Deputies responded to a Venice home Tuesday after receiving the report of a juvenile who was approached and groped by Jeremiah Waters, a transient man living in a wooded area in Venice. According to the victim, she was in the check-out line at a local grocery store when Waters started talking to her. Waters reportedly asked the victim’s age and after she said she was 13 years old, Waters commented she was too young for him. Based on the report made by the victim and confirmed by surveillance video, Waters then reached out and groped the victim’s breast. The victim pushed her shopping cart between she and Waters before fleeing the store and running home where she reported the incident to her parents. Deputies later located Waters in the 1100 block of Jacaranda Blvd. He was initially cooperative then fled while being detained before deputies successfully took him into custody.

 

Today Waters faces a single felony count of Lewd or Lascivious Conduct on a Minor Under 18 Years Old and a single misdemeanor count of Resisting Arrest. He remains in custody on $8,000 bond.