Crime & Public Safety
Naked man alleged to have entered occupied Golden Gate home, took jeans; arrested by Collier deputies
Collier County deputies arrested a 62-year-old man after they say he entered an occupied home in Golden Gate while nude and walked out wearing a pair of jeans taken from the living room. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary in progress on 19th Avenue Southwest at 3:45 a.m. Thursday.
According to the sheriff’s office, the caller reported a naked man believed to be a neighbor in front of her house and said the man had entered the residence while her 15-year-old brother was inside. Deputies located Joel Arteaga walking down the driveway, sweating and holding a flashlight. The office’s report says Arteaga told deputies he thought someone was inside his home and crossed the street calling for help, found the unlocked door and went inside.
The victims told deputies they saw Arteaga nude holding a flashlight in their driveway and later observed him repeatedly turning lights on and off inside the residence. Deputies say Arteaga put on a pair of jeans found on the couch before they arrived.
Arteaga was arrested and faces charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling (unarmed) and petit theft (property from a dwelling/curtilage under $40), per the Collier County Sheriff’s Office report. The account above reflects allegations and the arrest report; the charges are the current documented case status.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.