Man found in toy store parking lot

Lafayette police have arrested a convicted sex offender on an obscenity charge after responding to an incident at a toy store.

Officers were called to the Toys 'R' Us shopping center parking lot on Johnston Street around 9:15 p.m. Thursday, police said. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Melvin Alex, 60, still in the parking lot.

Alex allegedly drove around the parking lot while touching himself inappropriately. He was driving a 1998 white GMC Sonoma pickup at the time of the incident.

Police confirmed that Alex was a registered sex offender.

According to the Louisiana Sex Offender Registry, Alex was entered into the registry Dec. 23, 2003. He was convicted in Lafayette Parish of one count of sexual battery in October 2003.

Alex was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a $5,000 bond. According to the sheriff's office, Alex was no longer incarcerated as of Friday afternoon.