Peeping Tom Charges in Oklahoma can be charged as a felony in Wagoner County. Peeping tom charges in Oklahoma is addressed in the case of Honeycutt v. State of Oklahoma. George Barrows, alerted by his barking dogs, discovered Vernice Honeycutt crouched below his sleeping wife’s bedroom window. As a result, Barrows filed charges on Honeycutt, who tried to claim a defense of being drunk and passing out. However, the court found the act to be a willful attempt to look upon Mrs. Barrows and sentenced Honeycutt to sixty days imprisonment and a fine. This case is only one of many ways a person can be a peeping Tom. The following explains what a peeping Tom is and how the law handles it.
Peeping Tom—The Elements:
For a conviction of peeping to occur, the State must prove several elements. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 §1171 identifies these:
- The offender was hiding, waiting, or loitering;
- in the vicinity of a private residence or in a place where one should expect privacy;
- with the willful intent;
- to watch or look upon the occupant(s);
- in a secretive manner.
This means essentially, that if you are looking at a person who is in a private setting without their knowledge you can therefore face charges. Similarly, people who use video or photographic equipment in places such as locker rooms, fitting rooms or bathrooms and retail stores are also subject to peeping Tom penalties.
Punishments for Peeping Tom Charges in Oklahoma:
In Oklahoma, penalties for peeping Toms generally fall into the category of misdemeanors. Therefore, jail sentences can be up to one year. Further, fines reaching $5,000 may also be part of the punishment. However, if the offender uses any type of video or photographic equipment then the penalties increase from up to one year in prison to up to 5 years in prison and constitute a felony.
Wagoner Attorneys Defending Peeping Tom Charges in Oklahoma:
Clearly, the punishments for peeping Toms in Oklahoma can be heavy. If you receive mistaken charges of being a peeping Tom call us or read our Wagoner attorneys blog for more information. We want to help you avoid having a misdemeanor or felony on your record for years to come.
