LANCASTER – Have you done business with Duane Howard Jones? If so, local parole officials would like to hear from you.
Jones, a GPS-monitored sex offender, has been peddling video production services to area business owners without notifying them of his status, according to local parole authorities.
“As far as parole is concerned, businesses in the community are the employers of this individual, so anybody that hires him needs to know that he is a registered sex offender,” said California State Adult Parole Operations Supervisor Larry Dorsey.
Parole agents, assisted by the Palmdale Sheriff’s Partner’s Against Crime (PAC) Team, arrested Jones Friday morning at the McDonald’s on Avenue K, near 10th Street West in Lancaster.
The team also seized a computer and video equipment from the 36-year-old parolee’s residence. Parole conditions prohibit Jones from having a video camera, Dorsey said.
For the past two weeks, Jones has allegedly solicited businesses along Lancaster Boulevard, from 10th Street West to Sierra Highway, as well as local businesses along 10th Street West, between Lancaster Boulevard and Palmdale Boulevard, according to Dorsey.
“He targeted salons and other businesses where there were women and girls. He wanted them to pay him money, anywhere from $150 to $1,600, to make a video to promote their business,” Dorsey said. “As far as we know, he does not have any type of business license and there is nothing that registers him as a videographer in the city of Lancaster.”
The “company” is called “Lil Lamb Production,” Dorsey said, and Jones has created a “company” Facebook page and YouTube Channel. On the Lil Lamb Production YouTube Channel, there are several videos featuring BLVD businesses, including Juicebox, Brooklyn Deli, Forge Store, and Olives Mediterranean Café. In the videos, Jones brags about gaining entry into employee work areas by claiming he’s a “big time producer.” View the videos here.
“In some of these videos, he never got the owners’ permission,” Dorsey said.
Jones has a criminal history that dates back to 1992, and includes two local indecent exposure convictions within the past eight years, according to court records. In 2010, a jury convicted Jones of felony indecent exposure for masturbating at Pelona Vista Park in Palmdale during a youth soccer practice. Jones was also convicted of misdemeanor indecent exposure in 2006 for masturbating in a Lancaster woman’s backyard on two separate occasions. The victim’s neighbor testified that Jones had masturbated outside her bedroom window, as well, according to court records. Read details on those crimes here.
Investigators are now trying to round up all local business owners who either paid Jones for services or had videos produced without their permission.
“The investigation is still in the preliminary stages, and we need more information from the public,” Dorsey said.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Larry Dorsey at the Antelope Valley Parole Office at 661-729-0530, ext. 225.
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checked says
Sex offender, braggart got checked!
Metalchick says
Worst video ever! He’s obviously never taken video editing classes, nor does he know what a video release form is. Glad they got him so the real professionals can do much better work than him!
David says
So this guy’s a flasher and was convicted of doing disgusting things in public. What does that have to do with not being able to have a video camera. How is this guy supposed to earn a living? Who will hire him based on his background? So he started his own business. Is he supposed to say, “Hi I create business videos and I’m a registered sex offender on parole?” So they make it impossible for him to earn a living. And when he supports himself they throw him back in prison. Parole is supposed to help people transition back into society, no matter the crime. These folks are failing parolees and failing society. These actions don’t make anyone safer. They just cost money to incarcerate people who could be supporting themselves. And what is the recidivism rate for sex offenders? less than 2%.
bird says
David—Do your homework first before you make a comment that carries no validity!
David says
Another thing bothers me about the actions of parole. They say that parolees have to inform their employers of their crime and status. They also extend this by defining any potential customer of a self employed parolee as their employer. But if this man was working for a video producer he wouldn’t have to tell all of the company’s customers he worked for. So I think Parole in this case is overstepping, making an excuse for locking this guy up. I’ve read that our Attorney General has a program to reduce recidivism in our State. Our local parole office seems to be working against this State-wide program. Now tell me that this guy was flashing people while taking videos and you’d have my vote. But this sounds like we’re locking up someone who is trying to live a legitimate self supporting life.
AV Folk says
LilLamb Productions is not a legit business. This was a weirdo with a camera breaking the terms of his probation. When you masturbate at a kids soccer game, you just might not be allowed to wander around the city with a camera. Oh, and if the recidivism is 2%, then ai guess he’s part of the 2% because he has multiple indecent exposure arrests. What’s with all the apologists for sex offenders on this website?
Nancy P says
Once again the mention of a registered sex offender makes for mass hysteria.
While doing the weenie wave is disgusting….I agree with David regarding Parole overstepping to arrest this guy.
Was his business doing okay? Was he able to support himself?
AV Folk says
Watch the videos. It wasn’t a business. He just talks about how if he acts like he owns the place he’ll be able to go into the back of the business.
amber says
Funny how this perverts actions are excused!! He’s a low life who has to follow the terms of his probation. before you excuse the man and think that it is acceptable AV behavior, check his parole conditions! An upstanding member of your community folks!
bird says
This person was more interested in seeing what he could get away with using his video equipment, and being deceptive in what he was doing. You can’t thumb your nose at the system and expect a good outcome. That is unless you have the means to do so. It is obvious this guy went about doing his business in the wrong way, and it pissed people off, and now he has to suffer the consequences.
David says
I have great respect for the system and am supportive of the people working in it. But I also know that some people get corrupted by their authority and take it out on people who can’t fight back. I’m sure just based on his crimes there are a lot of people who would like to see him back in prison. But we are a country of laws so just pissing off people shouldn’t be sufficient to take away someone’s freedom. Maybe not getting a city license is enough to revoke his parole. But wouldn’t it be better to help him get a license and if he has a talent maybe even help him get customers so he can be self sufficient. Or maybe this guy is a manipulative opportunist and you stopped him before he could do more damage. The items discussed in the article don’t seem to rise that high. Is this guy ready to be a positive member of society? Or is he still acting like a criminal? If so he will need another time out.
sikntired says
He doesn’t have any talent, did you watch the videos? No concept of limits and boundaries and unfortunately he will come out the same or worse.
Bob says
Hey David! If your are so worried about this pervert having a job why don’t you hire him to baby sit your kids?, and by the way the recidivism rate is 70%!
AV Folk says
Maybe David would help a guy out by letting him film a birthday party for his kids? Weird debate. I guess the naivete of people is what this guy preys upon.
David says
Better to have people earning a living than costing us money while incarcerated. Was he being a danger to society? It’s good to have a debate where real issues can be discussed. We could use more transparency in the way our government works. Giving everyone a life sentence is unsustainable. So the alternative I would recommend is helping those who want it to become self supporting. Maybe parole should be more about rehabilitation.
AV Folk says
Parole is, IMO, usually about nothing. The person is basically free and the supervision is a sham, so I appreciate it when I hear that these guys are being checked up on. I’m not saying he should be incarcerated for life, but given the voyeuristic nature of his repeated crimes, I don’t think him being told not to film people is unfair.
Michelle Egberts says
Hey Bob… It’s actually 12.1% recidivism for “new crime”, not 70%. If you’re going to throw out statistics, don’t be broad with a figure without breaking the recidivism rate down. 2013 California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) parolee sex offender recidivism statistics:
88% – Parole TECHNICAL violations
1.8%- New sex crime
7.3%- New “non-sex” crime
3% – New “failure to register” crime
Source: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/Outcome_Evaluation_Report_2013.pdf
AV Folk says
Where parole technical violations are commonly criminal conduct such as drug use.
David says
The article stated his technical violations were possession of a video camera (which is not related to his crimes) and not telling potential customers he was on parole (while any employee doing this job would not have to). It doesn’t appear he broke any law. I watched the videos and I don’t know why he wasn’t kicked out of each and every business. But that’s not up to me. Is there any community oversight of parole operations? Maybe we should shine a light on this parole thing.
AV Folk says
No video camera for the guy that likes to jerk off at kids soccer games! That’s ridiculous! We need to change the system! Sex offenders deserve video recording equipment!
Michelle Egberts says
@David… You’re right, Mr. Jones was “self-employed” and regardless if he had a business license or not, he does not have to tell those he contracts services with that he is a sex offender. I’m curious as to why parole placed a special condition prohibiting Mr. Jones from possessing a video camera. There has to be a “nexus” in order for the condition to be applied. However, there are rogue parole agents/supervisors who abuse their authority and discretion by imposing parole conditions that have no “nexus”.
The California Office of Inspector General is the oversight agency of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation including Adult Parole Operations. In 2010, CDCR paid out more than $139 MILLION associated with 12 significant class action lawsuit settlements. Inmates/parolees do have constitutional rights.
bird says
Recidivism rates mean nothing, when you’re personally being violated by predators that only see you as an easy mark. It’s nothing personal to a predator.
Bob says
Hey Michelle, since you feel so sorry for the predator why don’t you hire him to babysit for you?
Nancy P says
Does she have children young enough to need a sitter?
amber says
Thank You! Perfectly said.
AV Folk says
Thank you parole for making this town safer. We don’t need perverts wandering around filming and proclaiming themselves to be big time producers. If a sex offender creates a fake company called Lil Lamb Productions, and you take his side, you just might be a pervert too.
NO rights says
Let’s start by looking at the name this GROWN man chooses did his company name “lil lamb productions” ENOUGH said really. But I will also let you know that because he is a registered sex offender he can’t be around children, it’s part of the stipulations. And furthermore depending on ALL the crimes committed he has other boundaries as well. These idiots should have NO rights. They weren’t thinking of the rights of these children and women when they were rapping and molesting them. The INNOCENT victims lost their rights and their voice. He should have NO rights.
David says
You must not have read the article as this man didn’t rape or molest anyone. But I’m not defending him as much as I’m questioning why parole locked him up, their keeping parolees from starting businesses and what appears to be a “lock em up” attitude instead of one of reintegration. Something just doesn’t smell right about this article. Maybe I’m just not aware of things that never made the article. I think there should be a real reason for taking away anyone’s freedom. I just didn’t read it here.
Letlow says
I agree with you David. I don’t think this man should be thrown under the jail and put on blast just for haphazardly filming people. I watched the videos and they seem harmless. His stab at comedy is an epic fail, but locking him up is taking things a bit too far. I haven’t read anything to warrant that. They’re asking for information from the public because they’re hoping to pin something bigger on him, but WHY? Seems to me that he is a victim of the Lancaster power structure that doesn’t want anyone messing the Rex’s precious Blvd.
AV Folk says
I think they want information in case he was able to scam businesses out of money. Obviously Lil’ Lamb Productions will not be able to follow through on any business agreements.
bird says
Well I bet all those people on the other end of his video camera will be a lot more careful now. It is also up to the people that run their business to be very aware of their surroundings and what might seem out of place. He was a big red flag!
bird says
The article says he had a GPS monitor; I wonder how long he has been running around doing all of this with his GPS monitor!
AV Folk says
Those vids are very creepy. I’m a big time producer. It’s like he’s acting out weird fantasies.
steve Leave says
Jim Greenleaf has met his match with this guy.. bigger criminal record, moves faster and charges more money for worse video production.
Satire says
This guy seems a little nutty…. walking into businesses and videotaping people working.. but it has nothing to do with him being a sex offender so I don’t see this as a big deal, he will most likely get a few more months in prison. And when he gets out he will hopefully find a hobby that is allowed under his parole conditions.
Michael says
Go check out his facebook, that alone is enough to put him in jail for a long time, Oh wait Jerry will let him back out so No matter Freaking Loser!!!!!
Melanie says
It is shocking how many people let this creep walk around. If anyone walked in my business I would make them leave!!! Camera or not….
And Juice Box has lots of little girls around there…the dance studio shares that space….very sad no one asked him to get out!!