Suffolk Man Committed Lewd Act At Nature Preserve: Police

MIDDLE ISLAND, NY — A Middle Island man was arrested for committing a lewd act at a Middle Island nature preserve last week, Suffolk police said.

At around 8:45 a.m., a woman was walking her dog on a path in Prosser Pines Nature Preserve, on Yaphank Middle Island Road, on July 20 when a man stepped out from behind a tree, exposed himself and committed a lewd act, according to police.

Charles Hardy was arrested at his home on Tuesday at 9:17 p.m., following an investigation by 7th Squad detectives, police said.

Police could not say how he was identified, citing the ongoing investigation.

Hardy, 28, was charged with public lewdness, a misdemeanor, and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.