JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A license plate scanner and quick thinking by a Jacksonville teen and her mom helped police track down a man accused of following the teen on the city’s southside.
Ahmadullah Mangal, 24, was charged with lewd and lascivious exhibition towards a minor.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a girl under the age of 16 was walking home along University Boulevard near Bartram Road when she noticed she was being followed by a man in a white minivan.
At some point while she was being followed, the driver of the van performed some type of lewd act. According to police, the girl turned off of University Blvd. and began walking down Liddell Lane when she Facetimed her parent to report what was happening.
As the victim was walking and Facetiming her parent, the suspect had no idea the parent could see the suspect’s vehicle because the FaceTime camera was pointed toward him.
Both the victim and the parent confirmed to police it was a white minivan. A manager of a nearby apartment complex also saw the vehicle and told police it was a white Volkswagen minivan with Florida tag BG03PE.
A crime center analyst ran the tag and told investigators the vehicle was registered to Mangal. The analyst was also able to use a plate scanner history data that placed the minivan on the same street around the time the victim was being followed.
The victim picked Mangel as the suspect during a photo lineup before he was arrested.
News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney said this criminal case is a good example of what minors should do when facing stranger danger.
“When you read this and look at this case, this is exactly what I’ve talked about. Familiarize yourself with where you are. Look around and if something doesn’t feel right, let someone know. Like in this case, she called an adult and got someone on the phone,” Hackney said before also stressing the importance of parents talking to their kids about how to handle these situations.
Mangal’s statements to police were redacted in the report.
Court records show Mangal was released from jail last night after posting a $75,000 bond. The next question now is whether or not this arrest will affect his immigration status. According to the arrest report, Mangal is not a U.S. citizen. He is from Afghanistan.