Charges in West Seattle lewd conduct case referred to state prosecutor

SEATTLE, Wash. — Danen Romine showed up to Seattle Municipal Court Tuesday on charges that he exposed himself to a teenage girl near Chief Sealth High School.  In court, he learned the case is now being referred to the King County Prosecutor’s Office because he’s accused of a state crime, misdemeanor indecent exposure.

KIRO 7 asked Romine to explain what happened as he entered the courtroom but he did not respond.  Romine hired high-profile attorney John Henry Browne, who escorted him in and out.

Seattle police arrested Romine Friday morning after a teenage girl said she saw him touching himself in his car in West Seattle.  That marked the sixth report of flashing near schools in West Seattle since early December.

There are key differences in the cases, though.

Police said Romine was in a minivan.  In other cases children reported a guy in a beat-up black, four-door sedan.

Romine is clean shaven with shaggy brown hair.  In the other cases, children reported a white man in his 30s or 40s with short dark hair and a scruffy beard.

Seattle police believe those other cases could be connected, but they can’t connect the cases to Romine.

As of Friday afternoon,  the prosecutor’s office was still working with Seattle police on the state charges in Romine’s case.  He is not currently jailed.

KIRO