Oiled-up man who repeatedly exposed himself to middle schoolers at San Francisco boba shop convicted

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A 35-year-old man who repeatedly stood outside a San Francisco boba shop, naked and covered in oil while masturbating in front of middle school students, was convicted of numerous felonies on Aug. 28.

A jury found San Francisco resident Michael Watson guilty of three felony counts of indecent exposure with a prior conviction, three counts of annoying or molesting a child, and one count of stalking, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced.

“I would like to thank the jury for their service in this trial,” Jenkins said in a statement. “The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Watson accountable for his reprehensible behavior. My office will always do everything we can to protect children in our city from dangerous individuals like Mr. Watson.”

Watson repeated his crimes on the same day of the week for an entire year, and on Jan. 15, 2025, he followed the students from the boba shop in The Castro to Dolores Park. Police arrested Watson on Feb. 4 on the 900 block of Folsom Street.

Assistant District Attorney Tanisha Gooch, who prosecuted the case, thanked those involved in reaching Thursday’s verdict.

“I would like to thank the survivors for coming forward to tell their story, their parents for supporting them through the process, and the jury for their thoughtful deliberations,” Gooch said in a statement. “As a community, we must stand up for what’s right and report inappropriate conduct instead of turning a blind eye. Mr. Watson’s actions were very disturbing and went on for far too long. The Castro is a place where everyone should feel safe and lewd conduct will not be tolerated.”

Watson’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2025. He faces a maximum of five years in state prison for his crimes and must register as a sex offender for at least 10 years.