Sometimes, people make questionable choices. And sometimes, these choices result in serious criminal charges in Adams, Denver, and El Paso County. In the moment, people often make choices that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Need an example? An out-of-state couple was just busted for having sex on the hood of a car at a dealership. If this occurred in Colorado, the two would be charged with Public Indecency. Let's take a look at what happened, and learn how you can be charged with this crime.

A Questionable Choice: Sex on the Hood of a Car

According to the news, people called the police after hearing suspicious noises, and then spotting two people having sex of the hood of a car at an auto sales store. When the police arrived, they found the couple getting dressed inside a white van (which also belonged to the dealership). Now, you might ask why anyone would trespass onto a car sales store's property only to have sex on the hood of a car. People get caught up in the moment, and also succumb to the need for excitement. The problem with having sex in a public place is that it is illegal, and will result in serious charges.

Public Indecency: Charged in Many Different Circumstances

Public Indecency – C.R.S. 18-7-301, is charged in many different circumstances in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson County. If a person lewdly exposes an intimate part of the body (not the genitals), for a sexual purpose, lewdly fondles or caresses another person, exposes their genitals for the purpose of causing alarm, or has sex in a public place, they will face Public Indecency charges. This crime is usually a class 1 petty offense, but if a person exposes their genitals for the purpose of alarm, it is charged as a class 1 misdemeanor offense.

Two Strikes, You're a Sex Offender

While a class 1 petty offense doesn't sound like a big deal, if you've been charged, you need the expertise of a knowledgeable attorney on your side. You may think you'll just plead guilty to avoid jail time, but you need to know the facts. If you are convicted twice of Public Indecency in a certain amount of time, you will be required to register as a sex offender and undergo sex offender treatment. Now, it's important to understand another, lesser-known situation where Public Indecency is charged – when a person urinates in public. So, if you're convicted of Public Indecency for having sex on the hood of a car, then a couple years later, you pee in an alley, you'll be a registered sex offender.

Why You Need a Lawyer for Public Indecency Charges

Your future is affected by a conviction; protect it by working with a lawyer. 

If you have been contacted by the police regarding Public Indecency charges, don't hesitate to contact a hardworking criminal defense lawyer at our office for a free consultation. It's important that you understand the consequences of pleading guilty, and take the steps necessary for protecting your future. Don't let a district attorney bully you into pleading guilty; fight for your future by consulting a skilled attorney.

If you or a loved one has been charged with Public Indecency, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 303-830-0880. Together, we can protect your future.