California Criminal Lawyer Blog

A 67-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to touching himself sexually in front of three teen girls in a public library in Newport Beach. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the man was charged with one felony count of indecent exposure in Orange County. Officials say he has two prior convictions on similar charges – in 1999 and 2002. If convicted, the man faces three years in state prison. The alleged incident was reported by the three girls to the librarian on May 9. The man was arrested at a later date when he returned to the library.

According to California Penal Code Section 314, indecent exposure refers to the act where an individual willfully and lewdly "exposes his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where there are present other persons to be offended or annoyed thereby."

In order to convict someone of indecent exposure, prosecutors must prove that the defendant intentionally exposed himself; that the act occurred in a public area or in a place where other people were present and were likely to be offended or annoyed; and it was done with a specific intent such as sexual arousal or to offend someone. Indecent exposure may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances of the particular case and the criminal history of the defendant.

The consequences of any sex crime conviction in California can be significant. Some of the consequences of a sex crime conviction include prison time, heavy fines, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. If you or a loved one has been charged with indecent exposure in Orange County, please contact the experienced Newport Beach indecent exposure defense lawyers of Takakjian & Sitkoff. Our skilled and knowledgeable attorneys will carefully examine your case and work diligently to obtain an acquittal or get charges reduced. Call us today at 1-866-430-8383 to discuss your case.

A 21-year-old Orange County man has been charged with exposing himself to minors. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the man was arrested in Fullerton after he reportedly exposed himself to young girls on their way to school. Officials say the man failed to appear in court for misdemeanor indecent exposure charges. Police also report there may be other victims as well, and are encouraging them to come forward. The defendant faces seven counts of child annoyance and two counts of lewd conduct in a public place.

California Penal Code Section 647 states that it is illegal to engage in “lewd or dissolute conduct in any public place or in any place open to the public or exposed to public view.” When the victim is a minor, there may be additional penalties. Under California Penal Code Section 288, anyone who commits a lewd act in public and the victim is 14-years-old or younger, and the person committing the act is 10 years older or more than the child “is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison.”

Being charged with a sex crime in Orange County is serious. Conviction of a sex crime charge could lead to prison time, heavy fines, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. Needless to say, an individual's reputation could be permanently tarnished, which can impact a person’s career and social life forever.

If you are facing indecent exposure charges, please contact the experienced California indecent exposure defense lawyers at Takakjian & Sitkoff for a free, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation. We have helped numerous clients facing serious sex crime charges. Contact at 1-866-430-8383 to discuss your legal rights and options right away.