For Immediate Release: August 13, 2025
On August 11, 2025, the Grand Jury for the City of Alexandria returned an indictment against the defendant, Marc Westbrooks, a 39-year-old Washington, D.C. resident, charging him with 10 misdemeanor counts, four counts of Indecent Exposure and 6 counts of Simulated Masturbation with the Intent to Be Seen. These are the most serious charges that could be brought under the Code of Virginia; there were no applicable felony offenses and the decision to charge misdemeanors was not discretionary.
The charges arose from an exhaustive Alexandria Police Department investigation into a string of indecent exposure offenses occurring in June and July of 2025, primarily in the Del Ray and Old Town neighborhoods of the City. During these time frames, at least 10 victims reported to police that they had observed a male subject exposing himself. In many cases, the subject was engaged in what appeared to be masturbation. The description of the suspect was similar among all cases and police soon determined that the reported offenses appeared to be linked.
The charges will be tried before the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria. Each of the misdemeanor charges carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and/or a fine of not more than $2500. The maximum possible penalty, therefore, is 10 years in jail. The defendant is being held without bail in the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center. The matter will be set on an upcoming Circuit Court docket for the selection of a trial date.
All persons charged with a criminal offense are presumed to be innocent. The fact a person has been charged with an offense is not evidence of guilt and the Commonwealth bears the burden of proving each element of every charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rule 3.6 of the Virginia State Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys states, in pertinent part: "A lawyer participating in or associated with the… prosecution … of a criminal matter that may be tried to a jury shall not make or participate in making an extrajudicial statement… that the lawyer knows, or should know, will have a substantial likelihood of interfering with the fairness of a trial by jury." Therefore, the Commonwealth is prohibited from discussing the evidence, its trial strategy, or its work product until the trial of the matter is completed.