Peeping Tom. It is a cute name, but it is a crime. We shiver when we think of being spied on, especially when our privacy feels violated.
Wagoner, Oklahoma takes this crime seriously. Thus, a Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge is no laughing matter.
A Peeping Tom is a slang term for voyeurism. A voyeur is a person who gets sexual gratification from illegally viewing or recording someone else who is engaged in some type of private activity such as undressing, going to the bathroom, or a sexual act.
Being convicted of a Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge can have serious ramifications.
Peeping Tom Oklahoma Charges: Misdemeanor or Felony?
While a Peeping Tom crime is generally treated as a misdemeanor in Oklahoma, it can rise to the level of a felony. It all depends on the circumstances involved in the crime. So what differentiates one from the other?
A Peeping Tom is a person who hides, waits, or otherwise loiters near a another’s residence, locker, or dressing room or in any other place in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy with the express and unlawful intent of watching or looking at that person in a clandestine manner. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1171
An example is a situation in which a neighbor spies on his neighbor with a pair of binoculars. This Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for up to a year and a fine up to $5,000.
A Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge becomes a felony when a person uses photographic, electronic, or video equipment in a clandestine manner for any illegal, illegitimate, prurient, lewd, or lascivious purpose, or who publishes or distributes any image obtained from such act.
With the advent of the Internet, it has become a simple task to upload contents that can forever change someone’s private life. It can have serious ramifications for everyone involved. If convicted, you could serve up to five years in jail in addition to paying a fine of up to $5,000.
Sexual Offender Registry
Any Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge could be treated as a sex crime requiring registration with the sexual offender registry. This can impede your ability to live and work where you please.
Initial Strategy Session: Wagoner Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing a Peeping Tom Oklahoma charge, talk to an experienced Wagoner criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Do not wait and do not speak to the police. Remember that everything that you say to them can and will be used against you.
For a low-cost consultation, call Wirth Law Office – Wagoner at 918-485-0335.
As always, you have the option to enter a legal question in the form at the top right of this page.
