What to Know A man was arrested for allegedly masturbating while performing a sex act with a toilet bowl scrubber in front of women at a doctor's office

Officers who responded to the office found the man masturbating and performing the act inside a bathroom with the door open

The man has been arrested three times before, for exposing himself to women and children at Barnes & Noble

A man was arrested for allegedly masturbating while performing a sexual act with a toilet bowl scrubber in front of women at a New Jersey doctor's office, authorities said.

Officers responded to a doctor’s office on Ridgewood Avenue in Paramus around 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 after learning that a man had exposed himself to patients there.

When they arrived, they found Brian Bates, 47, of Spring Valley, masturbating inside a bathroom with the door open, while performing a sexual act with a toilet bowl scrubber, Paramus police said.

Several women saw Bates in the act, according to police.

Bates was arrested and charged with criminal open lewdness, police said. Following his arrest, he was taken to New Bridge Medical Center for evaluation.

Police said it wasn’t the first time Bates was arrested on lewdness charges. In 1997, he was arrested at a Barnes & Noble on two different occasions — once for exposing himself to a 4-year-old girl, and the second time for masturbating within view of two women at the store.

The following year, he was arrested for touching his exposed penis in front of an 8-year-old, a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old at Barnes & Noble, police said.

Police didn't say whether Bates was convicted after those arrests.

His attorney information wasn’t immediately available Wednesday.