Ocean Township Police Charge Man with Lewdness

Lewdness Lawyers Serving Monmouth County

Keith Oliver Criminal Law is a Monmouth County based criminal defense firm that has been defending those accused of lewdness in towns throughout the County including incidents that occur on Sandy Hook for the better part of the last decade. The stigma that follows an arrest for lewdness let alone a conviction can be devastating. Our attorneys are dedicated to aggressively challenging the evidence presented against our clients in order to achieve a desirable outcome for them. If you or a loved one has been accused of lewdness, endangering the welfare of a child, stalking, terroristic threats, criminal sexual contact or possession of child pornography in Monmouth County, Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. To set up a free initial consultation today, please contact our Middletown Office at 732.858.6959 or you can try contacting us online.

20 Year Old from Tinton Falls Charged with Lewdness in Ocean Township

An incident outside the Jersey Strong Gym at the Seaview Square Shopping Plaza in Ocean Township ends with a twenty (20) year old from Tinton Falls being charged with lewdness. According to the reports, the victim first became alarmed when she noticed that the Defendant was staring at her from across the parking lot. In an effort to avoid the Defendant, the victim relocated her vehicle to another location in the shopping center. However, it did not end their, the victim then noticed that the Defendant “had his genitals exposed and was engaged in a lewd act,”.

Based on her observations, the victim contact the Ocean Township Police Department, who placed the Defendant under arrest and charged him with a violation of NJSA 2C:14-4, Lewdness. He was taken to the police station, processed and released upon a summons to appear in court in the Ocean Township Municipal Court. More likely than not, a no victim contact and no return to scene of the incident was a condition placed upon the Defendant’s release.

Charged with Lewdness in Ocean Township NJ

Lewdness is governed by NJSA 2C:14-4 in New Jersey. Depending on the underlying facts, lewdness can either be considered a fourth degree indictable offense, which is New Jersey’s version of a felony or a disorderly persons offense, which is New Jersey’s version of a misdemeanor. In order to be convicted of the disorderly persons offense lewdness, the prosecution must prove that the Defendant committed a flagrantly lewd and offensive act which they knew or should have known would have been viewed by a non-consenting person. If the act is committed where it is likely to observed by a child under the age of the 13 or someone with a mental disease, then the offense will be considered a felony. For more information on lewdness, please checkout our Monmouth County lewdness practice area by clicking the link or please review the statute below.

NJSA 2C:14-4: Lewdness:

a. A person commits a disorderly persons offense if he does any flagrantly lewd and offensive act which he knows or reasonably expects is likely to be observed by other nonconsenting persons who would be affronted or alarmed.

b. A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if:

  1. He exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under circumstances where the actor knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a child who is less than 13 years of age where the actor is at least four years older than the child.
  2. He exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under circumstances where the actor knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a person who because of mental disease or defect is unable to understand the sexual nature of the actor’s conduct.

c. As used in this section:

“lewd acts” shall include the exposing of the genitals for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person.

For more information on this incident, please checkout the Asbury Park Press article labeled Man arrested for ‘lewd act’ in Ocean shopping center parking lot: Police.

Author: Keith G. Oliver

Founding partner Keith G. Oliver has a passion for helping people who are caught up in the criminal justice system. He believes that everyone has a right to be presumed innocent, and that one mistake shouldn’t define a person forever. This passion drives Mr. Oliver to tirelessly fight for his clients and pursue the best possible outcome in every case.