A man who exposed himself outside of a Whiteland elementary school was sentenced to serve more than a year in prison.
James P. Snodgrass, 63, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of public indecency with a prior conviction. Johnson Superior Court 2 Judge Peter Nugent sentenced Snodgrass to 400 days in prison.
Snodgrass was arrested last year after an employee at Whiteland Elementary School spotted a car parked outside, approached the vehicle and saw a man masturbating inside. She took pictures of the vehicle and contacted police, and investigators found the license plate number and the man’s description matched Snodgrass. Police spoke with Snodgrass three days after the incident was reported, and he told them he had been there and wouldn’t lie.
Snodgrass has a criminal record that dates back more than 30 years for similar crimes, including exposing himself to teenage girls. He also served nearly 20 years in prison after being convicted of incest in 1996.
Court records noted multiple convictions in Indianapolis, Lafayette and Carmel for public indecency.
Prosecutors were able to charge Snodgrass with a felony in the 2017 arrest because of a previous conviction in Marion County.
After his most recent arrest, Snodgrass told police he had a problem with exhibitionism. He told police he had been controlling it well, but that day he had been stressed and had been traveling through the area and felt the urge to stop at the school.
He told police children usually calm his urges, but he had seen an attractive woman and couldn’t control himself.
When a school employee walked up to the vehicle, Snodgrass drove away.
School staff were notified to be on alert and watch anyone around the school. The school also was put on a version of a lockdown, where visitors and people around the school are more closely monitored, and a letter was sent home to parents.
