Indecent Exposure Spells Big Trouble 
Indecent exposure is a sex crime in Oklahoma. It moves far beyond innocent mooning or college high jinks into the world of sex offenses. The same statute that covers indecent exposure also covers child pornography and soliciting a minor to perform in child pornography. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1021. Oklahoma law enforcement treats indecent exposure seriously and so should you.
Oklahoma defines indecent exposure as the knowing and willful lewd exposing of one’s person or genitals in any public place, or in any place where people may be offended or annoyed by the exposure. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1021. It is considered a felony offense and penalties are harsh.
Exceptions
There is an exception for urinating in public. It is against the law, but is not considered a sex crime and, as such, is not covered under this statute. Instead, public urination is a misdemeanor violation of the public indecency laws. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 22. Breastfeeding is also not a sex crime and so is not a violation of this statute.
Penalties
Indecent exposure penalties are severe. If you are convicted of indecent exposure, you may face a prison sentence as little as 30 days to as many as 10 years. And you could be fined as little as $500 to as much as $20,000. In addition, because indecent exposure is a sex crime, once released from jail, you are required to register as a sex offender. This can impede your ability to work at the job of your choice and will affect where you may live.
There is a wide range in the possible penalties if you are convicted. The more egregious the situation, the more severe the penalty. At one end of the spectrum you may have the more innocent mooning or streaking. It may be that a judge will give you a lighter sentence for those behaviors. At the other end of the spectrum, we have someone who willfully targets a victim and publicly exposes himself or herself and masturbates in front of the victim. Whether the sentence is light or more severe, it is important to remember that this is a felony conviction.
If you are being charged with indecent exposure, do not try to explain your situation to the police. Their job is to prosecute you. Instead, assert your right to remain silent and ask for your attorney. It is important to hire an experienced Wagoner felony defense attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will help you understand what defenses you may have available to you and will help you navigate through the court system.
Call For Your Initial Strategy Session With an Experienced Felony Defense Attorney
Don’t delay. Your freedom is important. Call us today for a initial consultation with an experienced Wagoner felony defense attorney. Call the Wirth Law Office-Wagoner at (918) 485-0335 or toll free at (888) Wirth-Law. Or, as always, you may enter a legal question in the form at the top of this page and one of our attorneys will get right back to you.
