JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says detectives are now actively investigating a case involving a woman who says she was followed through a River City Marketplace HomeGoods by a man who was sexually gratifying himself while watching her.
The update comes after the News4JAX I-TEAM began asking questions about the case, which gained widespread attention after Jacksonville resident Rhiannon Alvarez shared her experience in a TikTok video viewed tens of thousands of times.
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Alvarez told News4JAX she was shopping for home decor when she noticed a man following her through the store. She said she later realized he was sexually gratifying himself while watching her.
After alerting store employees, Alvarez recorded the man’s license plate and called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
She said officers arrived about three hours later and told her there was nothing they could do. Although she said the responding officer reviewed the store’s surveillance video, she was told no charged could be filed.
When the I-TEAM initially requested a copy of the incident report, JSO responded that no records existed but confirmed the agency had received a call about the incident.
After News4JAX contacted the sheriff’s office with additional questions, the agency said detectives are now reviewing the case.
“I can tell you that our detectives are actively looking into this case, so they’re currently unable to provide any updates at this time,” a JSO spokesperson said in a statement.
It is unclear what prompted the detective review or whether the investigation could result in arrest or criminal charges.
In the original interview with News4JAX, Alvarez questioned why the alleged conduct did not violate Florida law.
“I feel like that’s just as much a crime as anything else,” she said. “I don’t understand how it doesn’t fall under public indecency or lewd and lascivious conduct.”
The I-TEAM found that under Florida law, simply touching oneself in public is not automatically a crime. Florida’s exposure statute generally requires a person to expose their sexual organs in a vulgar or indecent manner. Depending on the facts of a case, prosecutors may have limited charging options if no exposure occurred.
Alvarez’s TikTok video has since generated hundreds of comments from women describing similar encounters, prompting calls for lawmakers to examine whether Florida law adequately addresses incidents like the one she described.
HomeGoods previously provided the following statement to News4JAX:
“At HomeGoods, we take the security of our customers and Associates very seriously. We are aware of this matter and have cooperated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. We will continue to assist law enforcement as appropriate and respectfully defer further comment to the authorities.”
The I-TEAM will continue to follow the investigation and update this story as more information becomes available.