Brown County man accused of exposing himself to child in neighborhood

HOWARD, Wis. (WBAY) - Prosecutors say a Green Bay-area man masturbated in front of a girl in his neighborhood at least 5 times in the past week.

Theodore Rhoades, 60, was arrested and formally charged Tuesday with five counts of Exposing Genitals to a Child, a felony, and one count of Disorderly Conduct, a misdemeanor.

The girl told sheriff’s deputies the incidents started last Thursday. She was listening to music when she looked up and saw her neighbor staring at her, touching himself with his pants down. It happened three more times on Saturday when she was playing in her yard and with her dog; the third time he stood closer to her yard, just 10 or 20 feet away. Each time, she ran inside her house.

On Sunday, she was in her yard with a friend when the neighbor appeared. The girl said her friend was facing the other way and didn’t see the man exposing himself when she told her friend to get inside the house.

Brown County deputies say Rhoades refused to come out of his house and became belligerent, shouting insults and profanities after deputies say he was going to be arrested. He walked back and forth between his living room and his garage “three or four times,” drinking a beer each time. Initially, the wife refused to let deputies into the house, while his son was telling Rhoades to “go outside and talk to police.” Rhoades pushed his wife and son out of the way and went into the garage one more time. Deputies asked permission again to enter the garage and his wife said, “Go get him,” and opened the door.

Deputies say Rhoades was aggressive but they were able to take him into custody after a deputy pointed a Taser at him. They say he continued yelling profanities, and called the girl accusing him a “broad,” but invoked his right to silence and wanted to speak to a lawyer.

Rhoades is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Each felony count carries up to 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.