Police say a New Castle man is facing charges after allegedly exposing himself on the front porch of a Lawrence County daycare while staff were trying to put children down for a nap.
According to authorities, the incident happened on the 700 block of South Mill Road. Officers allege the man knocked down the daycare’s mailbox and was standing near a vehicle clearly marked as belonging to the child-care facility.
Vince L. Zorens, 42, of New Castle, is named in a criminal complaint and is charged with open lewdness, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. A daycare worker told police they saw Zorens with his hands in his pants, and investigators say video backs up that account. Zorens reportedly told officers he was just waiting for a friend to pick him up, according to the complaint and a report from WPXI.
What the charges mean
In Pennsylvania, open lewdness covers lewd acts that a person knows are likely to be seen by others who would be offended or alarmed. It is typically treated as a third-degree misdemeanor. Criminal mischief and disorderly conduct can also be charged as misdemeanors, depending on the situation.
Under state summaries, open lewdness can carry up to a year in jail, but any sentence depends on how prosecutors formally charge the case and whether the defendant has a prior record. A breakdown of how these offenses are graded and penalized statewide is available at FindLaw.
Daycare oversight and next steps
Licensed child-care programs in Pennsylvania fall under the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, which sends certification staff to inspect facilities and can suspend or sanction providers over health and safety issues. With police already involved, criminal investigators will take the lead on any prosecution, while state licensing officials could separately review whether there are any regulatory concerns tied to the incident.
Parents who want to look up a daycare’s license or find information on staff clearances can use resources provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Office of Child Development and Early Learning.
For now, Zorens’ case remains pending in Lawrence County. Court records will show in the coming days whether prosecutors move ahead with formal charges and schedule a preliminary hearing.
