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KPD: Serial sex offender found, arrested for probation violations after incident at Planet Fitness

According to the original arrest warrant, the suspect had entered the women's locker room at a North Broadway Planet Fitness and peeped on a woman showering.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE (1/29/19): Knoxville police found and arrested 28-year-old James Bradley Josey III on Tuesday afternoon in North Knoxville.

He was wanted on two violation of probation warrants and then was also charged Tuesday with a violation of the sex offender registry after he allegedly watched a woman shower at a North Knoxville gym on January 16, a news release from the Knoxville Police Department posted to Facebook said. 

Additional charges are pending against Josey. 

UPDATE: Wanted Suspect In Custody - Violation of Sex Offender Registry Added to Probation Violation Charges On Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at approximately 2:30 p.m., James Bradley Josey, III was...

ORIGINAL STORY (1/25/19): A man is facing a Class A misdemeanor charge after authorities said he watched a woman shower at a North Knoxville gym.

According to the arrest warrant, 28-year-old James Bradley Josey III from Knoxville was arrested for Invasion of Privacy after watching a woman showering at the North Broadway Planet Fitness.  

Josey is a registered sex offender, and according to the warrant his address was listed to be in the Adair Drive area -- within walking distance of the gym. His primary home address according to his sex offender registry is listed to be 1500 N. Cherry Street. According to the Knoxville Police Department, Josey is homeless but known to frequent those areas. 

"Since being released on the new charge, two violation of probation warrants have been issued for Josey’s arrest," KPD Public Information Officer Darell DeBusk said. "If you see James Bradley Josey or have information on his location, please call the Knoxville Police Department’s crime information line at 865-215-7212."

According to the warrant, Josey entered the gym on Jan. 16 around 4 a.m. and entered the women's locker room, where he then opened a shower where the victim was nude.

The victim screamed before the suspect ran, and officers said the victim was able to capture a picture of him on her cell phone taken from the security cameras to provide to law enforcement. 

Officers said they were able to identify the man in the photography as Josey.

One Planet Fitness member said this is an alarming situation she didn't expect. 

"I was alarmed. Being a female in today's society you have to be on high alert," Joy Sabo, a member at Planet Fitness, said. 

Management at Planet Fitness in North Knoxville said Josey was not a member of their gym and they said they always have someone at the front desk. How the registered sex offender and serial privacy offender got past that person is still unclear. 

After the incident, self-defense experts are trying to educate people on what to do in a situation like this.  

"If the fight is inevitable you need to start the fight. As crazy as that sounds, because of action reaction the best chance a female has against a male is to put her fingers in his eyes. If she puts her hands up and gets defensive she might lose the element of surprise," Terry Bullman, the owner of Bullman's Kickboxing and Krav Maga, said. 

Although this specific incident didn't require self-defense, Bullman said you should always be on high alert. 

The suspect was released on a $5,000 bond with the condition of staying off the property of Planet Fitness.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Josey has a criminal history of unlawful observation without consent, public indecency, violation of privacy and unlawful photographing on multiple occasions.  He has other offenses, including violating his status as a registered sex offender, dating back to 2009.

RELATED: Peeping Tom with lengthy rap sheet accused of looking at woman in Target restroom

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