Peeping Will Get You Serious Jail Time
One of the more hated forms of privacy invasion is voyeurism, which is a violation of Peeping Tom laws in Oklahoma. This is illegal and punishable under Oklahoma Law.
A peeping tom is someone who views a person candidly when in a place where they may have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This could be in your home, in a public bathroom, or dressing room. While physically harmless, peeping toms have a tremendous negative effect on their victims. Depending on the circumstances, this willful invasion of privacy can land a person in prison for up to five years if convicted in a court of law.
Accusations of Loitering Around Residence to Watch Occupants is a crime that almost always requires a layer to win. If you have Peeping Tom accusations against you and need a criminal defense attorney in Muskogee call (918) 884-7774 to speak for legal aid.
Elements Used in Peeping Toms Laws in Oklahoma
Oklahoma peeping tom laws require violators to be guilty of five elements.
These elements include:
- hiding, waiting, or loitering;
- near any house, apartment, place of residence, locker room, dresser room, restroom, or any place in general where one would expect privacy;
- with intentions that are willful and unlawful;
- to stare, look upon, or gaze at any person;
- in a clandestine manner i.e done in secrecy or without informing anyone.
OUJI-CR 4-136
Anyone found guilty of these elements may face a criminal conviction for loitering around the residence to watch occupants. This crime is normally a misdemeanor however it can be a felony if under the correct circumstances and can result in hefty fines and a jail or prison sentence.
People who use photographic, electronic, or video equipment to gaze, view, watch, or look upon a person without their consent in a place where they would normally expect privacy could receive a felony conviction. The distribution of images gained from such an act shares the same penalties.
Anyone who captures images of a person’s private parts without their consent, whether it be in public or private can be guilty of a misdemeanor crime.
By calling a Muskogee criminal defense lawyer, you could give yourself a better chance at receiving a lesser sentence. You can do this by filling out our contact form found on this page.
Punishments and Penalties of Peeping Tom Laws in Oklahoma
Peeping Tom laws in Oklahoma have various ways of punishing offenders. For the act of viewing someone in a location where they would otherwise expect privacy, offenders could face one year in jail, a fine of $5,000, or both. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1171
For the act of viewing, filming, or capturing photographic or electronic images of a person’s private parts in a place where privacy is usually expected may receive a sentence of 5 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1171
Viewing a person’s private parts in a public or private setting could also result in a jail sentence of no more than one year, and a fine of $5,000. Two things to note are that private parts refer to the buttocks and genitalia of either a female or male. A female’s breast’s areola falls under the umbrella term private part as well.
Initial Consultation With Muskogee’s Finest Criminal Defense Attorney
Accidents happen, anyone can walk past the wrong house, in the wrong neighborhood, at the wrong time. Being seen in an intimate or compromised state is not only embarrassing, also traumatic, hence the potentially severe penalties. If you come under fire for violating peeping tom laws you should contact an Oklahoma attorney immediately. To do anything else could compromise your well-being and social status.
For a low-cost consultation with a criminal defense attorney in Oklahoma, call (918) 884-7774. We also answer your questions via the form found on this page.