Edmond police are looking for a man they say exposed himself to several children last week.

Police say the children were playing Thursday in the Homestead addition near Danforth Road and Santa Fe Avenue when a man exposed himself to them. Witnesses say the man called the group of children over to him, and when they approached, they discovered he was engaged in "lewd activity."

The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 40 years old, with a grey goatee. He was reportedly last seen driving a silver or white Lincoln Town Car with front end damage (photo provided by the Edmond Police Department). Police are asking anyone who sees the vehicle to call 9-1-1.

Police are using the incident as a reminder to children to run away from dangerous situations. Edmond Police Sgt. James Hamm says,

"Sometimes these events can escalate. Best thing [children] can do is run away. Find an adult in a public area."

Indecent exposure is a felony sex crime punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and sex offender registration for a period of 15 years: 

Every person who willfully and knowingly . . . [l]ewdly exposes his or her person or genitals in any public place, or in any place where there are present other persons to be offended or annoyed thereby . . .shall be guilty, upon conviction, of a felony and shall be punished by the imposition of a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) or by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than ten (10) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (21 O.S. § 1021)

 However, that statute does not apply when the exposure is to a minor under the age of 16. Instead of being charged with indecent exposure, a person who exposes his or her genitals to children is charged with a much more serious offense: lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16.

Under 21 O.S. § 1123, the following acts are considered to be lewd acts or indecent proposals to a minor:

  • Propose sexual activity to a child under age 16, or a person believed to be under the age of 16. Such proposal can be oral, written, or electronic. This section includes online solicitation of a minor, even when the defendant is “chatting” with a decoy in an undercover sting.
  • Touch, feel, maul, or even “look upon” the body or private parts of a child in an overtly sexual manner.
  • Ask, invite, entice, or persuade a minor under the age of 16 to go to a secret or secluded location for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity.
  • Urinate, defecate, or ejaculate on or in the presence of a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification.
  • Expose one’s body or private parts to a minor.
  • Force a child under the age of 16 to look at pornography or obscene materials.
  • Cause or force a child to witness sex acts performed in his or her presence.
  • Require a child to touch his or her own private parts or to touch the private parts of another person.

The penalties for lewd acts with a minor depend upon the age(s) of the child(ren) involved. If the child is aged 12 or older, the act is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. If the child is under the age of 12, the penalty is 25 years to life in prison. In either case, it is considered a Level 3 Sex Offense mandating lifetime sex offender registration for anyone convicted of this crime.