Criminal Defense | Lewdness

Lewdness is a charge that police in Ocean County and Monmouth County frequently use to charge individuals who have engaged in behavior such as:

• Public urination
• The time honored activity of ‘mooning’ friends or strangers
• Public masturbation
• Touching of one’s own genitals in an inappropriate way
• Having the zipper on one’s pants opened for an inappropriate amount of time/ in an inappropriate way
• Flashing (typically defined as revealing one’s genitals to non-consenting persons)

If you’ve been charged with lewdness, call the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Villani & DeLuca, P.C. today to discuss the facts of your case.

While the behavior that leads to a lewdness charge is sometimes humorous at the time it is committed, being charged with lewdness in New Jersey is no laughing matter. The consequences can be very serious. Lewdness is a fourth degree crime (New Jersey Statute 2C:14-4(b)), in cases where the lewd act you are charged with committing was witnessed by a child under the age of thirteen.  Otherwise, lewdness is a disorderly persons offense.   

The Jersey Shore in the summer represents an escape from the everyday for its vacationers. The summer heat, alcohol, and the vacation mentality frequently conspire to cause people to behave in ways that do not reflect their best judgment.  This behavior frequently results in people being charged with lewdness by police in Ocean County and Monmouth County.

The experienced criminal defense lawyers at Villani & DeLuca, P.C. understand your charge of lewdness does not represent who you are. Let us help you put the charge behind you with the minimum possible impact on your life.

If you have been charged with lewdness in Ocean County or Monmouth County, call us today at 732- 965-3350. The criminal defense attorneys at Villani & DeLuca, P.C. will thoroughly evaluate your case. Our main goal is to have the charge against you amended in order to spare you the embarrassment and stigma that a lewdness charge- and possible conviction- can bring.

N.J.S.A. 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.

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Contact one of our criminal defense attorneys or call our criminal defense law firm for a free consultation at 732-965-3350.

Let’s discuss your lewdness charge.  Take action for your future.