Camper accused of public indecency in state park

A camper is accused of public indecency for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate sexual behavior on a picnic table near a playground in a state park.

Joshua D. Carter, 31, of Spencer, is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court early next Thursday, August 6, for an initial hearing on a preliminary charge of public indecency, a Class A misdemeanor.

This case stems from an incident that occurred in Shakamak State Park on Thursday, June 25.

Indiana Conservation Officer Greg Swanson, the investigating officer, and Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Landis responded to the state park after Officer Landis got a call around 7:15 p.m. on June 25 from the assistant property manager of the park. The caller said a man named Josh Carter had been seen masturbating at his campsite.

When the two officers arrived at the park at 7:45 p.m., they first talked to a security officer who explained that when he was driving through the campground, he saw Carter sitting on a picnic table masturbating. The security officer said he drove on and gathered his thoughts about what he had just observed. Then he drove back by the site and said he saw Carter had moved into a tent, laying half-in and half-out of the tent, continuing the same activity.

Officer Swanson asked the security officer if he actually saw the man’s penis and the security officer said he did. The security officer said after observing this at the tent, he then went to a nearby playground and told the children who were there to go back to their campsites. He said he didn’t think any of the children had observed Carter.

The two conservation officers then went to the campsite. Officer Swanson said the playground was approximately 80 to 100 yards away from the campsite. There were two campers at the site, Carter and a fellow camper.

When an officer talked to the other camper, he said he was unaware of the activity by Carter.

Officer Swanson reported that when he talked to Carter, Carter was rambling on about random thoughts he was having and through several questions, Carter continued to speak about irrelevant things. Carter finally said he did not remember doing the activity he was being questioned about.

In a probable cause affidavit prepared by Officer Swanson, he notes that as Carter talked about thoughts he had in his mind, it sounded like hallucinations. Carter also allegedly spoke about voices he was hearing in his head.

Officer Swanson contacted a family member of Carter who came to the campground and picked both campers up. The family member said Carter suffers from mental illness but is on medication.

Officer Swanson gave Carter a citation with the court date for his initial hearing and Carter was also given an ejection notice from the property.