A Bucks County deputy sheriff who allegedly masturbated in a public parking lot and attempted to show a woman pornography has been charged with indecent exposure and related offenses, police said.
He is facing three counts of indecent exposure, open lewdness and disorderly conduct.
Deputy Stephen R. Springfield was off-duty last Tuesday when a woman says she spotted the 39-year-old sitting in his red truck near Silver Lake Park in Bristol, Pennsylvania. She told NBC10 in an exclusive interview that Springfield first offered her candy. She then says she noticed he was watching pornography on his phone.
"That's when he was holding up his camera that's on his phone or whatever playing pornography and he had himself exposed," said the woman, who did not want to be identified.
The woman told investigators that Springfield jiggled a bag of candies in her direction and offered her some as she walked near his car. She says she declined several offers and that Springfield then pulled out his penis and began to masturbate while asking if she, too, liked porn.
"And he was asking me if I wanted to come in his truck with him and watch porn," the woman said. "And I said no and I got in the car and I left."
The woman said she saw Springfield in the park the next day and told him to “beat it” and “not come back.” The woman also said she noticed Springfield talking to a young boy and advised him to stay away from the red truck.
The woman told investigators she saw Springfield again at the park two days later. She says she then used her phone to take pictures of his license plate as Springfield "high-tailed it out of there." The woman sent the pictures to police who identified Springfield as the suspect.
"It's a family park," the woman said. "It should be welcoming and safe. Unfortunately we have this guy there that just felt that he needed to do what he wanted to do."
Police were again called to the same park on Saturday for reports of Springfield exposing himself. A park ranger told officials Springfield was a regular at the park and had harassed a woman with suggestive comments about pornography, according to court records.
When investigators asked Springfield to explain the allegations, he initially told police that he was urinating in a bottle. After some pressing, Springfield said he had been “excited” after watching porn on his phone, according to court documents.
Bucks County detectives continue to investigate the allegations against Springfield and did not confirm if he is still employed with the sheriff's department.
Springfield's attorney, Lou Busico, told NBC10 there wasn't enough information available to determine whether or not his client performed a lewd act.
"Look, that's what the allegation is at this point in time," Busico said. "Until we know more, it's an impossible question to answer."
Busico said the court documents accusing his client are confusing and that Springfield is innocent until proven guilty.
"The fact that he was there in a public place sitting in his own vehicle alone, that in itself is not the end of the world," Busico said. "Let's wait and see exactly who saw what, where and how."
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