A teenage boy punched a fellow Island Transit bus passenger earlier this month to stop him from leering at a girl while exposing himself, according to court documents.

An Island Transit official issued the man a trespassing admonishment banning him from going on any buses, and the police arrested him.

Prosecutors charged Michael V. Schueller in Island County Superior Court Oct. 30 with felony indecent exposure with a sexual motivation. The charge is a felony because Schueller was previously convicted of misdemeanor indecent exposure. Court records show that he had been convicted twice in the past.

If convicted of the charge, Schueller could face up to two years in prison under the standard sentencing range.

Schueller appeared in court Oct. 28. The prosecutor pointed out that Schueller has a long history of not appearing for court hearings and asked that his bail be set at $15,000. The judge agreed.

The teenage girl reported to police that she boarded the bus before school on Oct. 7 and sat near a man later identified as Schueller, who pulled down his pants to mid-thigh, according to a report by a deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office. Schueller rubbed his red underwear while starting at her, the report states.

A boy who was also on the bus confronted Schueller and told him to stop, according to the report. An Island Transit employee said the boy also punched him to make him stop, which caused him to briefly cover up, the report states.

When confronted by an Island Transit employee, Schueller said he couldn’t get a hotel room.

A deputy reviewed video of the incident from the interior of the bus.

Reports of 911 calls to the Oak Harbor police shows that residents have been reporting a spate of indecent exposure cases in the area, although it was unclear whether it was just one individual causing the problems.