Felony charges lodged against man with history of flashing

Prosecutors upgraded charges against a serial flasher who admitted during a lie-detector test to repeatedly exposing himself to unsuspecting female shoppers in stores throughout DuPage County.

Gelasio Beltran-Bautista is accused of taking the crime a step further Oct. 20 when he allegedly ejaculated on a Glendale Heights woman's back as she shopped in a clothing store in Bloomingdale.

A judge issued a warrant this week for the 29-year-old Aurora man's arrest after a DuPage County grand jury indicted him on felony charges of criminal sexual abuse and aggravated battery.

Beltran-Bautista originally was charged with misdemeanor public indecency for the Bloomingdale incident, but prosecutors said they sought the felony indictment earlier this week after reviewing the case and his recent admissions to other crimes.

Police began investigating Beltran-Bautista last year after the Glendale Heights woman's complaint.

He fled after the incident, but authorities arrested him Nov. 12 after a woman shopping in another Bloomingdale store said he exposed himself to her. Police also had distributed fliers to area shopkeepers in hopes of identifying him.

Beltran-Bautista pleaded guilty March 12 to public indecency for the second offense in Bloomingdale and was placed on two years' court supervision, ordered to perform 50 hours of public service and pay $395 in court costs.

He also had to undergo a sex-offender evaluation with probation officials. On June 11, prosecutors filed a petition to revoke Beltran-Bautista's based on violations.

They allege the defendant admitted during a June 5 polygraph examination that he exposed himself as recently as one week earlier to a woman shopping in an Aurora store, as well as others in three other clothing and food stores in the area.

Beltran-Bautista, 17 N. State St., is wanted on a $100,000 warrant. He remained free Wednesday.