Many casinos in Atlantic City have multiple areas. The casino floor may be the highlight, but other areas might include bars, restaurants, nightclubs, or even family-friendly areas. It is important to always check your behavior when leaving the more adult areas, since the kinds of behavior tolerated in one part of the casino may be inappropriate in another.
If you were thrown out of a casino or arrested for lewd acts, you may face criminal charges. Contact the Atlantic City lewd behavior in a casino lawyers at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today to schedule a free legal consultation on your case. Our attorneys can help fight charges involving lewd behavior and disorderly conduct. To schedule your free legal consultation, call us today at (609) 616-4956.
Charges for Lewd or Inappropriate Conduct in a Casino
As mentioned, casinos have different areas with different expectations as to what is “appropriate.” On the casino floor, it may be appropriate to be loud and celebratory, but the same might not be said of a spa area or a candlelit restaurant. Especially when it comes to adult behavior, there may be no public place where it is okay to expose yourself to someone else or feel someone up without their consent. The following are all examples of lewd and inappropriate behavior in a casino that could lead to criminal charges in New Jersey:
Exposing Yourself (Lewdness)
The crime of “lewdness” under N.J.S.A. § 2C:14-4 makes it a disorderly persons offense to perform any “flagrantly lewd and offensive act” you expect to be seen by someone who does not consent to seeing that act. This primarily covers exposing yourself in public. However, there is a limitation: it is only a crime if you expect that person to be offended or alarmed. Under some circumstances, such as partying in a nightclub, the people around you might consent to seeing you expose yourself to some degree, or they might not be expected to be offended, and this should not be a crime.
This offense is upgraded to a fourth degree crime if you expose yourself in the presence of a child under 13 or someone with a mental disability that prevents them from understanding the act.
Criminal Sexual Contact
Criminal sexual contact and aggravated criminal sexual contact are crimes under N.J.S.A. § 2C:14-3. These offenses might be grouped under the umbrella term of “sexual assault,” and it covers the crime of physically touching someone in a sexual way under circumstances that show there was no consent. This includes touching over the clothes or under.
Groping someone, grinding up against them, and other acts that might be okay with the target’s consent can result in third or fourth degree criminal charges if performed under circumstances where the victim is a child, force is used, you have help from another person, the victim is drugged, or another circumstance listed in the statute.
Sexual Assault
The crime of sexual assault under N.J.S.A. § 2C:14-2 is a far more serious crime. This can result in first or second degree criminal charges as “sexual assault” is the name of the crime of rape in New Jersey. This involves any sexual penetration under circumstances that show a lack of consent, such as circumstances where you use force, have assistance from another actor, drugged the victim, or perform the acts against an underaged victim.
This crime goes beyond “lewd” behavior, but there does not need to be an aggressive act to qualify as a crime. Taking someone back to your room if they are too drunk or drugged to consent or if they are underaged and using a false ID can constitute sexual assault without any force or coercion.
Harassment
Repeatedly continuing to communicate with someone that does not want to talk to you is a petty disorderly persons offense in New Jersey. This crime of harassment is listed under N.J.S.A. § 2C:33-4 and can include communications of any kind, but especially “offensively coarse language” or communications likely to cause annoyance or alarm.” This would include offensive or inappropriate come-ons or repeated badgering after sexual advances were rejected. If the victim feels unsafe because of your interactions, you could be charged with this offense.
Disorderly Conduct
Any other lewd or inappropriate behavior that does not fall under one of these other crimes might be charged as disorderly conduct. Under N.J.S.A. § 2C:33-2, disorderly conduct involves any engaging in fighting, creation of hazardous conditions, or loud, inappropriate language to offend the listeners. This can include things like yelling obscenities, making inappropriate sexual comments, or shouting and bothering those around you. There is no crime for being drunk in public in New Jersey, but this offense is usually used instead to cover boisterous or obnoxious behavior while drunk. This is a petty disorderly persons offense.
Call Our Atlantic City Lewd Behavior in a Casino Defense Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was arrested for lewd behavior in an Atlantic City casino, call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today at (609) 616-4956. Our Atlantic City casino lewd behavior lawyers can help fight charges of lewdness, sexual contact, sexual assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct in an Atlantic City casino. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call our law offices today.