Crime
Hernan Villagran Lux — who often films himself sporting a full suit, top hat, cane, and an exaggeratedly pale face — was arrested Sunday near the Cochituate Rail Trail.
Cochituate State Park. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff, File
July 21, 2026 | 3:54 PM
2 minutes to read
A Framingham man seen roaming MetroWest in a mime-like getup now faces criminal charges after authorities say he harassed three female employees of the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Massachusetts State Police troopers patrolling the Cochituate Rail Trail in Framingham Sunday evening recognized and arrested 29-year-old Hernan Villagran Lux, who had an active warrant, a State Police spokesperson said.
According to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Lux is charged with three counts of criminal harassment stemming from “several incidents that occurred between him and three female DCR employees within the last month.”
While the DA’s office did not elaborate on the specific incidents, prosecutors reportedly offered further details during Lux’s arraignment Monday in Framingham District Court.
“The women report an extensive number of contacts with the defendant involving him staring at them, smiling in what they describe as ‘a really unnerving and frankly terrifying manner,’” Assistant District Attorney Andrew Mange alleged, according to Boston 25 News.
Mange also outlined one incident during which Lux allegedly “stripped down to his underwear, slathered cooking oil all over his body and began working out right by their staff area,” the news outlet reported. The rail trail runs past Cochituate State Park, a popular site for boating, hiking, fishing, and swimming.
“DCR is committed to providing a safe environment for our staff and visitors across our park system,” a department spokesperson said in a statement. “We are supporting the employees affected by this matter and are grateful to our partners in law enforcement for their response. We will continue working closely with them in their ongoing investigation.”
A police report providing a full account of the allegations against Lux has been impounded, the Framingham District Court clerk’s office said.
Lux was arraigned on the harassment charges Monday and pleaded not guilty, court records show. He was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital and ordered to undergo an examination to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
Boston.com has contacted the Committee for Public Counsel Services for comment on Lux’s behalf. He is due back in court Aug. 6
On his Facebook and Instagram pages, Lux often films himself sporting a full suit, top hat, cane, and an exaggeratedly pale face — in numerous other posts, he’s just wearing underwear in outdoor areas. A number of social media users have posted about encountering a man with the same distinct appearance around Natick and Framingham, with some claiming “creepy” or aggressive run-ins on the trail.
Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.
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