Even though indecent exposure appears to be a minor offense, don’t be deceived by the misdemeanor charge. In addition to the original charge, you may be facing other charges, making the situation far more complicated than you initially thought. Sexual assault charges can be elevated very quickly. An individual is violated if they are simply exposed. Your record is not affected by a violation. It does, however, affect your job prospects and prevent you from renting a house or apartment when you have multiple indecent exposure violations on your record. An employer won’t want to hire someone who has been convicted of a sex crime if it shows up on your background check. Landlords are no different. You won’t find many employers eager to deal with your background report charge when they see it.

What Does It Mean?

Indecent exposure entails revealing one’s genitals in a way that could offend others or be offensive to them. The act occurs when the individual exposes intimate parts of themselves to others, regardless of whether they look, turn away, or do not see it. Publicly visible sexual activity can also be included.

An act becomes indecent when an individual knows or should know his or her actions will or might be seen by others and would alarm, offend, or arouse them. Public places like parks, stores, and parking lots, as well as open windows and vehicles can be used for this purpose.

The state is responsible for handling indecent exposure charges. First offenses are usually misdemeanors in most states. The offense can, however, be escalated to a sexual assault crime if there is touching involved, such as when the offender touches a person while exposing themselves. There are harsher penalties for exposing oneself to minors.

What Should You Do?

You might think committing indecent exposure isn’t a big deal if you have been charged with it. Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t take much for a seemingly minor charge to spiral out of control. The best interests of your case should be protected by an educated, experienced criminal defense attorney. Feel free to call us at (303) 791-6500 if you need assistance.