A transient in Mesa was arrested late Wednesday morning after witnesses saw him touching himself outside of a busy playground.
According to court documents, Eugene Vincent Durham, 27, was first seen sleeping in the parking lot at a playschool near Dobson and Broadway roads.
He was later seen standing about 20 feet away from the playground with his pants unbuttoned. At the time, more than 20 children between one and two years old were outside.
Durham ran off, the children were brought inside and the school was put on lockdown until police arrived. Officers found the suspect urinating behind a nearby business and arrested him.
When questioned by police, Durham admitted to his actions and said he thought the children were a few years older. He said he thought the women also on the playground were "pretty" and admitted to masturbating frequently.
Durham was charged with 21 counts of public sexual indecency in front of minors.
