Man charged in lewdness incidents at McDonalds

LYNN – A judge ordered a Level 3 registered sex offender to stay away from a local McDonalds after police said the man was videotaped masturbating at the fast-food restaurant two days in a row.”He immediately stated he may have ?gotten a little too excited and lost control,'” Lynn Police Officer Thomas Holland wrote in a report. “He then stated ?I may have exposed myself for a second.'”Jonathan Charles Pickering, 50, of 198 Locust St., was arrested and charged with two counts of open and gross lewdness; on Monday.He pleaded not guilty to the charges when appearing in Lynn District Court Tuesday at his arraignment, according to court documents.Police responded at 8:15 p.m. Monday to the McDonalds at 60 Boston St. on the report of “an old-looking white male with white hair” sitting inside the restaurant with a computer and masturbating, according to court documents.Police spoke to the caller who reported he and a friend were at the restaurant Sunday when they saw and then videotaped the man, according to the police report. The caller said he was shocked and showed the video to the restaurant manager but then saw the same thing again.”(The caller) stated ?it was disturbing to see the same person at the restaurant doing the same thing twice,'” Lynn Police Officer Russell Gokas reported.Police said another witness reported corroborated the caller’s story and the video “clearly shows the suspect to be masturbating.”Officers reported finding Pickering with both hands in his lap, checking personal ads on Craigslist with several links highlighted “referencing being horny and looking.” Police said Pickering also had his fly down.Pickering allegedly told officers he was looking for someplace to stay for the night. He was arrested and his computer was taken, according to police. Police also reported Pickering was a registered Level 3 sex offender.Pickering appeared in court after being bailed from the police station, and Judge James LaMothe did not set any additional bail, according to court documents.Pickering is scheduled to return to court June 6.