Criminal Lewdness 2C:14-4 & Penalties

2C:14-4 Lewdness Kenneth Vercammen's Law office represents individuals charged with criminal and serious traffic violations throughout New Jersey. 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 non consenting persons who would be affronted or alarmed. Disorderly person criminal offenses- ex Simple Assault, shoplifting & cases in Municipal Court Jail 2C: 43- 8 jail 6 month maximum probation 1-2 year max community service 180 days maximum Disorderly- fines: $1,000 Fine maximum under 2C: 43- 3 plus mandatory costs, VCCO and other penalties There are many other penalties that the court must impose in criminal cases, including DNA testing. There are dozens of other penalties a court can impose, depending on the type of matter. 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. Amended 1992, c. 8, s.1. 2C:14-5. Provisions generally applicable to Chapter 14 a. The prosecutor shall not be required to offer proof that the victim resisted, or resisted to the utmost, or reasonably resisted the sexual assault in any offense proscribed by this chapter. b. No actor shall be presumed to be incapable of committing a crime under this chapter because of age or impotency or marriage to the victim. c. It shall be no defense to a prosecution for a crime under this chapter that the actor believed the victim to be above the age stated for the offense, even if such a mistaken belief was reasonable. L.1978, c. 95, s. 2C:14-5, eff. Sept. 1, 1979. 2C:14-6. Sentencing If a person is convicted of a second or subsequent offense under sections 2C:14-2 or 2C:14-3a., the sentence imposed under those sections for the second or subsequent offense shall, unless the person is sentenced pursuant to the provisions of 2C:43-7, include a fixed minimum sentence of not less than 5 years during which the defendant shall not be eligible for parole. The court may not suspend or make any other non-custodial disposition of any person sentenced as a second or subsequent offender pursuant to this section. For the purpose of this section an offense is considered a second or subsequent offense, if the actor has at any time been convicted under sections 2C:14-2 or 2C:14-3a. or under any similar statute of the United States, this state, or any other state for an offense that is substantially equivalent to sections 2C:14-2 or 2C:14-3a.