SLO sex offender suspected of touching more girls around town, police say

San Luis Obispo police are investigating new reports of a registered sex offender touching young girls in public, and his case was suspended Friday until he can be evaluated by court-appointed psychiatrists.

Jonathan Oscar Davis, 43, of San Luis Obispo was arrested Monday after he allegedly grabbed a 10-year-old girl's hair at Sephora in the 1000 block of Court Street and left the scene when he was confronted by a witness, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said.

A second complaint alleges Davis also touched an 8-year-old girl visiting the downtown area on Sunday.

On Friday, the San Luis Obispo Police Department announced it was seeking the public's help in identifying an 8- to 10 year-old girl who may also be a victim of Davis. Shortly after the announcement, the family of the alleged victim contacted the department, Lt. John Bledsoe said Friday.

After news broke of Davis' arrest, employees of the Chevron gas station at 3180 Broad St. filed a report with San Luis Obispo police on Thursday alleging that Davis rubbed his fingers through that girl's hair at approximately 11:00 am. on June 23.

Police say the victim appears to have entered the store to pay for gasoline. While standing at the counter, Davis approached the girl, rubbed his fingers through her hair then left the store.

Bledsoe said that in addition to the Sephora and Chevron incident, the department has received at least three other credible reports allegedly involving Davis.

No plea yet

At his arraignment Friday, Davis was appointed a public defender, who declared a doubt to Davis' mental competency. Superior Court Judge Matthew Guerrero appointed two forensic psychiatrists to separately evaluate Davis and report back to the court on July 19.

In the meantime, Davis remains in custody at San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

With his criminal case suspended, Davis has yet to enter a plea to a single felony count of annoying or molesting a child with a prior sex crime conviction, which was filed by the District Attorney's Office Thursday.

Because of his previous sex crime conviction out of San Francisco County, the new charge can be tried as a felony and would count as a second strike under California's Three Strikes law, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Jerret Gran.

Gran said that if convicted, Davis faces a maximum of six years in state prison.

Anyone with additional information about Davis is encouraged to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7317.

This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 2:54 PM.