A New Orleans mayoral candidate has been charged with a misdemeanor after allegedly masturbating in an Uber early this year.

Frank Scurlock was allegedly caught masturbating by his female Uber driver en route from a West Hollywood hotel Feb. 10. He wasn’t charged until Aug. 31 due to jurisdictional complications, Santa Monica Chief Deputy City Attorney Terry White confirmed Friday, after the Advocate first reported the story.

Scurlock, who is running under the slogan “Make New Orleans Fun Again,” is due to be arraigned in Los Angeles Criminal Court Oct. 16, two days after the mayoral primary in New Orleans.

The unnamed Uber driver told police that she stopped driving after hearing suspicious noises coming from the backseat of her vehicle. She claims to have opened the rear door of the vehicle to find Scurlock, genitals in hand.

The driver then called the police from a nearby gas station as Scurlock fled the scene. Officers later recovered Scurlock at a hotel.

“They went back to the hotel and were able to get a name,” White said. “Based on the name, they got a picture and put it in a photo lineup, and the driver identified him.”

The misdemeanor charge of lewd behavior requires Scurlock to register as a sex offender in California, should he be convicted.

Scurlock, 55, told WDSU News that the incident occurred after a long night of drinking, which impeded his recollection of the night.

“The allegations brought against me are without merit,” Scurlock said in a statement. “It has been many months since this alleged incident occurred. I await my day in court and expect to be vindicated.”

The Democratic mayoral hopeful has failed to attract significant support in the polls, despite a series of high-profile gimmicks, including jaunts around New Orleans in high end golf carts, a number of campaign appearances donning a purple suit and top hat and, ironically, a public pledge to “uberize” the city’s police department by reducing response times through the use of a mobile app.

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