A 31-year-old man is facing a public indecency charge after West Chester police say he exposed himself to a woman and her 1-year-old daughter inside the toy section of a local Walmart. Leo Darling was arrested following the incident, which authorities say unfolded in full view of the child.
According to WKRC, Darling is accused of exposing himself to the mother and her toddler while they were shopping in the toy aisle. West Chester police say the incident happened at the Walmart on Cincinnati Dayton Road, and court documents indicate that security video exists from the store to help substantiate the allegations.
The Walmart in question is the West Chester Walmart Supercenter, Store #2309, situated at 8288 Cincinnati Dayton Road, according to Walmart. The store sits along a busy commercial corridor patrolled by the West Chester Police Department, which maintains its headquarters at 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road.
How Ohio Law Treats the Charge
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2907.09(A)(1), public indecency occurs when a person recklessly exposes their private parts under circumstances likely to be viewed by and affront people outside their household who are in physical proximity. That statute is the legal basis for the charge Darling now faces.
The classification of the charge carries real weight in this case. A first-time public indecency offense in Ohio typically starts as a fourth-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine, but the offense escalates to a second-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days in jail when a minor is present and likely to be affronted, according to the Meranda Law Firm. Since a 1-year-old was reportedly present during the alleged exposure, that heightened penalty could come into play.
Beyond jail time, a conviction can carry consequences that follow a defendant for years. Under certain statutory circumstances or with repeated convictions under ORC 2907.09, individuals found guilty of public indecency in Ohio may face mandatory Tier I sex offender registration for at least 10 years, per Bleile & Dawson. It remains an open question whether prosecutors will seek additional charges, such as child endangering, or what Darling's prior criminal record might look like.
What Happens Next in Court
Misdemeanor cases originating in West Chester Township are handled by the Butler County Area III Court, located at 9577 Beckett Road, which processes township-level criminal filings for the region. Defendants detained on misdemeanor sexual offense charges in Butler County typically receive an initial bond hearing conducted via video link to the county court system, according to the law firm Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima. It is not yet clear what bond, if any, was set for Darling following his arrest.
Store security video and police camera footage are expected to play a central role in how prosecutors build their case. In Ohio public indecency prosecutions, such footage routinely serves as primary evidence to substantiate or refute exposure claims made in retail settings, per Bleile & Dawson.
A Fast-Growing Township Grapples With Another Retail Incident
West Chester Township has become Ohio's most populous township, with an estimated population exceeding 66,000 residents as of 2025, according to Census Reporter. The township operates under a Limited Home Rule form of government as an urban township, which allows local trustees to maintain an independent police force overseeing commercial corridors like the one where this Walmart sits.
The case adds to a string of similar allegations Hoodline has tracked at Walmart stores across Ohio and beyond in recent months, including a Boardman parking lot incident and a separate case involving a Queen Creek man accused of exposure in a Walmart bathroom. Darling's case is now moving through the Butler County court system, with key details, including any additional charges or his criminal history, still unresolved.
