Peeping Toms. It is more than a cute name. It is a sex crime against a person, and Tulsa Oklahoma Peeping Tom crimes are taken seriously.
Peeping Toms violate our privacy. They spy on us in our homes, in public toilets, in dressing rooms, and in other places where we expect privacy. It has sexual overtones, and can feel awful for the victim.
Peeping Toms are voyeurs. A voyeur is a person who gets sexual gratification from furtively viewing or recording someone else who is engaged in some type of private activity such as having sex, undressing, or using the toilet.
The term originated from the naked ride of Lady Godiva who was riding in protest. The townspeople agreed not to look at her as she was riding. Peeping Tom however, broke that promise and watched.
Tulsa Oklahoma Peeping Tom Crimes Can Be Felonies
All felonies are serious crimes. In Oklahoma, a felony means mandatory jail time. While voyeurism is often treated as a misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances, it can be charged as a felony in Oklahoma.
If you are convicted of a Tulsa Oklahoma Peeping Tom crime, you must register with the sexual offender registry. This can have negative consequences for years to come.
Facts You Might Want to Know
Under Oklahoma law, a Peeping Tom is defined as one who hides, waits, or loiters at or near another’s residence or other private place with the express unlawful intent of watching that person in a clandestine manner. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1171
The victim is usually engaged in some act of undressing or some kind of sexual act, unaware that someone is watching. A man with a telescope who watches his neighbor undressing in her bedroom might be guilty of a misdemeanor.
While a misdemeanor conviction might seem like small potatoes, this conviction carries a punishment of imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year and a fine up to $5,000. So what makes a Tulsa Oklahoma Peeping Tom crime chargeable as a felony?
This crime becomes chargeable as a felony when the Peeping Tom secretly records another using photographic, electronic, or video equipment for their own lewd or lascivious purpose, or when the Peeping Tom publishes or distributes any image obtained from such an act.
Unfortunately, all too often, the results of such recordings get uploaded onto the internet and that can cause grave harm to the person being recorded. If convicted, you could serve up to five years in prison in addition to paying a fine of up to $5,000. A felony conviction will change your life forever.
Initial Strategy Session: Tulsa Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or someone you know has been accused of a Tulsa Oklahoma Peeping Tom crime, please contact a Tulsa criminal defense attorney to discuss your available legal options.
Consult with an experienced Tulsa attorney today by calling 918-756-9600.
If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a question or brief message.