Tri-Cities Police Arrest Suspect for Exposure Cases Near School

Kennewick and Richland police teamed up to find and arrest a suspect linked to several indecent exposure incidents near a Tri-Cities school.

Suspect Arrested in Connection to Indecent Exposure Incidents Near Kennewick School

The Kennewick Police Department (KPD) and the Richland Police Department (RPD) arrested a suspect in connection to a series of sickening incidents involving indecent exposure near Amistad Elementary School earlier this month.

On February 11 and 12, a 10-year-old student reported two separate incidents of a male suspect with shoulder-length hair who offered money while walking home from school. Originally, there were only a few details about the suspect or the vehicle as local police started the investigation. Officers increased patrols to the area and the Kennewick School District (KSD) was notified to help ensure the safety of students.

A week later, on February 19, a 9-year-old reported another encounter on 5th Avenue between Kent and Olympia Street. That child described a man driving a red SUV who pulled next to them and asked for directions to the library, then exposed himself before driving away. The child’s father was nearby and managed to provide more information about the vehicle before the man got away.

Investigators began gathering surveillance footage and other pieces of evidence from the area for leads. After reviewing these, a possible suspect vehicle was identified as being connected to the February 19 incident. Then, the Kennewick Police Department's Criminal Apprehension Team (CAT) Detectives and the Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force focused in on a suspect.

Detectives identified 36-year-old Scott Lee Phelps of Richland as a potential suspect, but they had insufficient evidence to make an arrest at first. KPD and RPD investigators then discovered Phelps was also connected to an incident exposure incident at a local Walmart on February 24, where he exposed himself to a child inside the store. Surveillance footage from this case confirmed his identity and allowed the authorities to get an arrest warrant.

Yesterday (February 26), the Kennewick Police Department and Richland Police Department worked together and found Phelps near 3rd Avenue and Rainier Street in Kennewick. He was finally arrested without incident and booked into the Benton County Jail on charges of indecent exposure and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

KPD has released images of Phelps and his vehicle, requesting assistance from anyone that might have more information about other contacts he may have had with children. Parents and guardians should also talk about safety measures with their children about awareness of potential risks of strangers. Anyone with relevant information, contact KPD or RPD detectives or anonymously at www.kpdtips.com.