Crime & Safety

Cops: Lakewood Man Undressed, Masturbated in Deli

Lakewood man, 42, has been charged with lewdness, sexual assault

Lakewood police have brought lewdness and sexual assault charges against a man who witnesses said walked into a township deli, took off his clothes and began to masturbate.

Lakewood officers were called to the La Palma Deli and Grocery on Ocean Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday after a female employee called to report that a man – later identified as Rochard Savoy, 42 – entered the store, waited for customers to leave, and then  removed his clothes and began to masturbate in front of her and her eight year old son, who was present at the time, according to police.

"Upon realizing that she was contacting the police, the suspect quickly got dressed and fled the area on foot," police said in a statement.

Savoy was located a short time later by Officers Michael Young and Junior Vega at a nearby bus terminal and placed into custody.

An investigation, conducted by Ocean County Prosecutors Office Detectives LeRoy Marshall and Melissa Matthews, revealed that the same man had entered the same deli the night before, removed his clothes and masturbated until he was told to leave by an employee, according to the statement.

Savoy was charged with two counts of lewdness, tender years sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Bail was set at $100,000 cash.

Savoy remains in the Ocean County Jail.


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