Rochester Man Arrested for Indecent Exposure, Lewdness

Police arrested a local man after allegedly performing a lewd act in front of a woman in the back of a public transit vehicle.

Robert J. Morrill, 53, of Pine Knoll Drive in Rochester, was arrested on Nov. 27, 2015, and charged with felony indecent assault and lewdness.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Portsmouth Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

At around 1:15 p.m., police received a report about a local public transportation driver ending his service on Woodbury Avenue because of a disturbance in the vehicle. A passenger told the driver that there was a man sitting in the rear of the bus involved in a lewd act and the driver pulled over and called police.

“Officers with the Portsmouth Police Department spoke to the witness who confirmed seeing Robert Morrill sitting near the back of the bus in a partial state of undress,” according to Sgt. Kuffer R. Kaltenborn. “During this time she saw his exposed genitals and behavior consistent with masturbation.”

Police ran a check on Morrill and found that he was convicted for the same offense in September 2009 in Rochester District Court. They arrested Morrill for indecent exposure, which was bumped up to a felony due to the previous conviction. Morrill was released on personal recognizance bail and is due in court on Jan. 11, 2016.

“There is no indication the defendant assaulted anyone during his criminal act but there is reason to believe he may have interacted with other passengers who were not aware of his criminal activity,” Kaltenborn noted.

The Portsmouth Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance with this investigation. Anyone who witnessed this event or may have information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Officer Max Webber at the Portsmouth Police Department at 603-610-7509.