By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to an Assembly Row place of business last week on reports of a man masturbating.

Upon arrival, the officers were met by the store manager, who directed them to the dressing room area, and to a stall around the corner where the defendant was.

The officers then found a man sitting down with his pants partially below his waist. Protruding from his pants, they observed the defendant’s erect penis.

The officers confronted the man, later identified as Joshua Sperling, of Cambridge, and he rapidly raised his pants, covering his penis.

The officers spoke with the store employee that discovered Sperling, who stated that as she was walking through the dressing room she observed a door open for one of the stalls. When she looked inside, she observed Sperling “completely exposed, masturbating.”

The store employee stated that she was “shocked” and said, “Oh, sorry” and walked away.

Sperling was then placed under arrest on a charge of lewd, wanton and lascivious conduct and taken to the Police Station for booking.