Indecent exposure is the charge whenever a person willingly and purposefully exposes their genitals, buttocks or a female exposes her breasts in a public place or within view of a public place. This means that someone may expose themselves in a home but be visible to someone on the street and may be charged with indecent exposure. Felony indecent exposure typically includes an adult exposing themselves to a child or children, or in situations where some type of threat or coercion is used on the person viewing.
Felony Indecent Exposure Penalties
As with any type of felony offense the result of felony indecent exposure charges can be very serious and significant. Typically the specific situation around the exposure as well as any other crimes that may have been committed in conjunction with the indecent exposure will also impact on the penalty.
Possible Penalties for an Indecent Exposure Felony
- Jail time
- Probation
- Fines
- Restitution
- Registration as a sexual offender
- Mandatory court ordered classes
- Community Service
Felony Indecent Exposure Sentencing
The court will often consider several different mitigating circumstances if presented during the hearing. The most important aspect of these cases is to be able to prove that the individual knowingly exposed themselves in such as way as to qualify the charge as a felony offense. An attorney can work with both the court and the prosecutor in an attempt to get the cases alternatively sentenced or possibly reduced to a misdemeanor. In some situations it may be possible to get first offenses, especially with no priors on the individual's record, reduced to community service hours and mandatory counseling or classes to prevent this from going on their record.
Hiring an Attorney for an Indecent Exposure Felony
Unfortunately these types of cases often draw media attention, so getting an attorney involved early in the case is essential. Without an attorney your name is likely to become part of the news, even if you are later found to be innocent. An attorney can work to keep your name protected as well as get the charges reduced or even dropped, preventing this type of felony charge from impacting on your life.
Felony Indecent Exposure: Fines and Jail by State
Penalties Vary Greatly by Case! For accurate penalties, talk to the court clerk or a lawyer!
| State | Avg. Fines | Avg. Jail | Avg. Probation | Other |
| Alabama | $3500-$10000 | 6 months-3 years | 6 months-2 years | If convicted, automatically registered as a sex offender. |
| Alaska | up to $20000 | max 10 years | 10 years | CS |
| Arizona | 1200-1300 | 6m-1 yr | 5 years | CA, worker program |
| Arkansas | Varies by Case | Varies Widely by Case | Varies by Case | # Restitution Registration as a sexual offender # Mandatory court ordered classes # Community Service |
| California | N.A. | upto 12 months | upto 5 years of misdemeanor probation | Not Available |
| Colorado | $1,000 to $100,000 | 1 year to 18 months | 1 year | Not Available |
| Connecticut | 500 min | 2 weeks to 30 days | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Delaware | up to 5000 | 3-5 years suspended first offense | 5 years max | Not Available |
| Florida | $200 - $20000 | less than one year - 10 years | Varies by Case | life sentence |
| Georgia | 1000 | on 3rd offense in less than a year, no less than 1 yr or more than 5 yrs | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Hawaii | 100 to 150 $ | 6 months | 6 month to 1 year | Not Available |
| Idaho | $0-$300 | 0-6 months | 0-2 years | Not Available |
| Illinois | $400-$600 | 15 days to 1 month | 1 to 5 months | therapy |
| Indiana | 300 | 5 years | 3 years | 50 hours of community service |
| Iowa | $315 to $1,875 | upto 1 year | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Kansas | up to $20000 | not more than 10 years | 10 Years | CS |
| Kentucky | $200-$20000 | 28days-24years | 28days-year | 20000 |
| Louisiana | 1st Off: $2500 2d Off: $5000 3d Off: $10000 | 1st Off: 3 yrs 2d Off: 3 yrs, 3d Off: 5 yrs | no probation | Not Available |
| Maine | 500 | 6 months | no probation | Not Available |
| Maryland | 1000 | 3 years | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Massachusetts | $200-$20000 | 2.5years-10 years | 3 years | community service |
| Michigan | up to $1000 | up to 1 year | up to 1 year | Judge may order community service, counseling and probabtion as a result. |
| Minnesota | up to 10,000 dollars | up to 5 years in prison | probation determined after prison | Not Available |
| Mississippi | Upto $500 | Upto 6 Months | Upto 6 Months | Not Available |
| Missouri | 750 per occasion | 2 week max | 7 years max | Not Available |
| Montana | $500 (AND jail upto six months) / $1000 / $10000 | (Fine of $ 500 AND) upto six months / 12 months / 5 - 100 years | Varies by Case | 1st offense: $500 AND up to 6 months in jail; 2nd offense: $1,000 AND up to 1 year in jail; 2nd offense: $1,000 AND up to 1 year in jail |
| Nebraska | up to $1000 | up to 6 months | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Nevada | fine up to $5000 | 1 to 4 years | 6 months | Not Available |
| New Hampshire | $500-$700 | 30 days | 2 moths | community service |
| New Jersey | Class 6 Felony 5 yrs or 1 yr and fine of not more than $1000 | Class 6 Felony 5 yrs or 1 yr and fine of not more than $1000 | 5 years | Not Available |
| New Mexico | up to $1000 | up to 4 years | up to 1 year | Judge may order mandatory counseling. |
| New York | not more than $1000 | Class 6 Felony 5 yrs or 1 yr if 1000 fine | Varies by Case | C.S. |
| North Carolina | 500 | 30-90 days | 5 years | CS |
| North Dakota | not more than $1000 | Felony 5 -7 yrs | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Ohio | 1.000-3.000 | 9m max after 6m suspended | 9 years | Not Available |
| Oklahoma | $5000 max | 5 years max | 8 years | CS |
| Oregon | $1000-$20000 | 90 days-10 years | 30 months-20 years | community service,drug classes |
| Pennsylvania | 5,000 max | 180 days in jail max | 2-4 years | Not Available |
| Rhode Island | $0 to $500 | 0 to 6 months | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| South Carolina | 1000 | 5 yrs | 1 year | 3rd degree, indecent exposure in the 2nd degree |
| South Dakota | Up to $4000 | Up to 2 years in state penitentiary | Not Defined by statute | Not Defined by statute, but both maximum fine and jail time may be imposed. |
| Tennessee | $500 - $1500 | 11 months 29 days if it is third offence | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Texas | 500-1000 | 6m-1yr | 5yrs | Anger Mangement, Worker service |
| Utah | Varies by Case | 0 to 60 months | 0 to 32 months | Can be found at http://www.sentencing.state.ut.us/ |
| Vermont | 300 | 5 years | Varies by Case | penalty of 5 years and/ or $300 |
| Virginia | not more than $1000 | Class 6 Felony 5 yrs or 1 yr | Varies by Case | Not Available |
| Washington | 500 | 6 months in jail | Varies by Case | $75000 bond |
| West Virginia | 1000 max | Class 6 Felony 5 yrs | 7 years | C.S. |
| Wisconsin | upto $10000 | Varies Widely by Case | Varies by Case | misdemeanor offense, offender register as a sex |
| Wyoming | 20000 | 10 years | Varies by Case | Not Available |
