Gary Man Charged with Sex Crimes After Leaving Used Condom On Car Door Handle
On April 28, 2025, the Valparaiso Police Department was dispatched for an incident regarding a male subject intentionally placing a concealed used condom on the door handle of a vehicle. The semen in the condom coated the handle of a door on a vehicle that was parked in the Target parking lot.
According to court documents, the officer spoke with the male suspect at Pet Smart. The officer learned the male suspect was also in possession of a second used condom, which contained fluid inside of it that appeared to be a substance consistent with semen, as well as some other unknown brown substance. The second condom was wrapped in a napkin and secured in the vehicle’s center console of a 2019 Kia Soul registered to the suspect, now known as Dan Uzelac. The officer learned that Uzelac had arrived at Target and canvased the parking lot for several minutes. He then parked next to the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle. Uzelac then proceeded to place a used condom on the victim’s vehicle based upon a review of video surveillance from Target, as well as the statements of Dan Uzelac.
According to court documents, during the investigation, Uzelac was advised of his Miranda Rights. Uzelac advised he understood his rights and wished to speak freely with police without representation. The interview started, and the investigator asked Uzelac what was going on and Uzelac immediately stated “I fuc**d up.” He confirmed he was 78 years old and was a convicted sex offender.
During the interview, it was learned that Uzelac had arrived at Target approximately 5-10 minutes prior to the victim. Uzelac stated that he observed the victim’s vehicle being driven by a female, who he believed was in her 30’s or 40’s. At this time, he made the decision for this vehicle to be the one he threw/placed the used condom on. Uzelac stated that he chose this vehicle because it was being driven by a female. He believed it would not cause as large of a confrontation as opposed to a male victim. Uzelac further explained he then observed another female, a juvenile, exit the vehicle from the passenger side.
According to court documents, Uzelac stated he drove north in the parking lot, and began to wait for the females to return to their vehicle so he could watch their reaction to finding the used condom. Uzelac stated he was doing it for the shock value; however, he did not receive any shock value. Uzelac was asked what he believed was inside of the condom, and he advised that he believed it was sperm.
Police then asked Uzelac if this type of behavior was sexually motivated, to which he explained there was an underlining sexual pleasure that he might have received; however, he did not receive this satisfaction. Uzelac stated this action was not entirely sexually driven but he was doing this for some sort of shock value.
Dan Uzelac is currently lodged in Porter County Jail.
On April 29, 2025, Dan Uzelac was charged with:
Vicarious Sexual Gratification – One of the Victims must be under 14 years of age: F4 Felony
Sexual Misconduct: F5 Felony
Battery on a Person Less that 14 years Old: F6 Felony
RNS has also learned, by using the Indiana Department of Correction database, that Dan Uzelac has been previously incarcerated for:
Sexual Misconduct With A Minor – Class A Felony, in 09/2000, for 50 years DOC, from Laporte County
Sexual Misconduct With A Minor – Class A Felony, in 09/2000, for 5 years DOC, from Laporte County
Sexual Battery, a Class D Felony, in 11/1999, for 3 years DOC, from Porter County
Public Indecency, a Class D Felony, in 11/1999, for 3 years DOC, from Porter County
Public Indecency, a Class D Felony, in 03/1999, for 1 year DOC, from Lake County
