71-year-old red-thonged Shady Maple mooner has been nabbed and charged, police say

Brandie Kessler | York Daily Record

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A 71-year-old man wearing a red thong under a "beach covering," who mooned several patrons at the Shady Maple complex in May, has been identified and charged, according to East Earl Township Police.

Police Chief Kevin McCarthy Sr., identified the man as John Cox, 71, of East Earl. Of the suspect's name, McCarthy said, "I'm not making this up."

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Cox was identified the day after the incident, when police issued a news release and also looked to Pennsylvania State Police for some assistance. Through the course of the investigation, police were able to identify Cox as their suspect, McCarthy said.

Cox will be charged with open lewdness, a misdemeanor, the standard for which is that the offense "is something that would shock the community," McCarthy said. "Which, if you were standing in a store and a 71-year-old man lifted up his shirt to show you his thong, you might not appreciate that."

On May 24, several female patrons of the Shady Maple complex in East Earl Township, Lancaster County, reported a man who appeared to be about 70 years old had "exposed his bare buttocks" to them, police said. The witnesses said the man was wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, a "beach covering," socks and sneakers, and when he exposed his buttocks, the witnesses saw he was wearing "red thong type underwear," police said.

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