Pittsfield man fined for making lewd gesture with a hot dog

Posted Monday, November 30, 2015 3:18 pm

PITTSFIELD -- A city man accused of using a hot dog to make lewd gestures at two women in June was fined $75 on Wednesday after pleading responsible to a charge of disturbing the peace.

The man was highly intoxicated on June 18 when he came out of his house and made lewd gestures with a hot dog and shouted vulgarities at his female neighbors, according to police. One of the women told police she wasn't sure whether the man had actually exposed himself.

The man said at the time he was feeding the hot dog to his dog as a treat, police said.

Police said they had responded to the area several times that day before arresting the man and charging him with disturbing the peace and lewd and lascivious behavior.

Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Jeffrey Clarke told Central Berkshire District Court Judge Fredric D. Rutberg on Wednesday that after speaking with the complaining witnesses he was moving to dismiss the lewd and lascivious charge. The judge decriminalized the other charge and ordered the man to pay a $75 fine.

The case was scheduled for a bench trial with the man set to represent himself.

To reach Andrew Amelinckx:

aamelinckx@berkshireeagle.com or (413) 496-6249.

On Twitter: @BE_TheAmelinckx