Last month, a Los Angeles County judge threw out the charges in one case stemming from Long Beach’s 2014 operation, saying police were discriminating against gay men. In some cases, judges found no crime had occurred because the undercover officer conveyed sexual interest to the target and no one else was present to be offended by the lewd conduct. You just want them to stop.”Ĭourts also have raised questions about the stings, invalidating a number of prosecutions in various parts of the state.

“Criminalizing them isn’t really justice. “Nobody is going to defend lewd conduct, but there is a qualitative difference between sexual predators and people who engage in boorish behavior,” said Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, who is gay and a former special assistant in the Sheriff’s Department who worked with its LGBT advisory council. Some have lost their jobs or committed suicide. Under state law, people who are convicted of indecent exposure must register as sex offenders and face possible jail time.

Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang Nobody is going to defend lewd conduct, but there is a qualitative difference between sexual predators and people who engage in boorish behavior.