Man Charged With Exposing Himself, Burglarizing Steelville Shop

A Cuba man is accused of entering a shop on a Steelville-area property and exposing himself outside a nearby residence.

Gregory Allen Brice Jr., 31, is charged with second-degree burglary, sexual misconduct and second-degree property damage in connection with an Aug. 15 incident investigated by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the probable cause statement, security camera footage from the property allegedly showed Brice standing nude in the yard at approximately 7:18 a.m. and masturbating while looking toward the residence. He was positioned in front of a windowed door near a bedroom, investigators said.

Two people were inside the residence at the time but reportedly did not know what had occurred until the footage was reviewed later. The incident captured on video lasted approximately 15 seconds.

The investigation also uncovered evidence that someone had entered a shop on the property and opened a compartment on a work truck.

Inside the shop, a battery backup device had allegedly been damaged and partially disassembled, while a battery charger had been knocked over and scratched. The owner told investigators the damage was new and estimated the two pieces of equipment were worth a combined $225 to $275.

A deputy wrote that he recognized Brice in the security footage based on previous contacts with him.

When questioned by investigators, Brice gave conflicting accounts of what he remembered from the incident. He allegedly said he had been under the influence of mushrooms and had become lost in the woods, initially maintaining that he did not remember being at the property.

Brice at one point denied being the man shown in the video but acknowledged that the body depicted was his, according to the probable cause statement. He allegedly told investigators that he believed a demon had been attached to him and that although the body was his, “it was not his mind.”

During a later interview at the Crawford County Jail, Brice allegedly acknowledged opening a compartment on the work truck and entering the shop. He told investigators he mistakenly believed the shop belonged to his grandfather and said he had attempted to leave after realizing he did not want to be inside.

Deputies had encountered Brice later on the morning of Aug. 15 following a separate call in which he had reportedly been found nude after becoming lost in the woods. He told deputies during that contact that he had urinated on himself and asked someone for pants and water.