A St. Paul running store employee convicted of three sex-related offenses since 2005 was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of masturbating while talking to a customer buying shoes.

Jeffrey Thomas Wieland, 44, was booked into the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of masturbating under his clothes while talking to a female customer at the Running Room, 1068 Grand Ave. He remained in the jail this afternoon but has not yet been charged.

A Running Room manager declined comment.

Wieland’s most serious offense stems from a 2006 incident. He pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct in Washington County stemming from an incident while he was working at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

In 2005, he pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a gross misdemeanor, after he rubbed underwear against his genitals in front of a clerk at Marshall Field’s at the Maplewood Mall, according to the criminal complaint. He then rubbed his chest against the woman’s breasts and stared down her blouse. He also inappropriately touched another clerk’s body.

Also in 2005, he pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct for masturbating in the water while watching young girls at a public beach in White Bear Lake, according to a criminal complaint.

Police contacted Wieland’s probation officer Tuesday after the female customer complained. The probation officer advised the arrest.

Brady Gervais can be reached at 651-228-5513.