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Neighbors Call Police on Sex Offender Masturbating on Balcony, Police Say

By Mark Schipper | September 10, 2015 8:57am
 Jason A. Skinner of Mt. Morris, Ill., was charged with public indecency after allegedly masturbating in full public view on his balcony.
Jason A. Skinner of Mt. Morris, Ill., was charged with public indecency after allegedly masturbating in full public view on his balcony.
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Illinois State Police

WEST RIDGE — A fed-up North Side couple called police on a neighbor who they said was masturbating on his condo balcony while drinking, smoking and watching porn on his big-screen TV.

The man turned out to be a convicted sex offender — and he told police what he was doing was legal as far as he knew, according to police.

Officers disagreed and charged Jason Skinner, 37, with public indecency, police said.

It happened Aug. 22 in the 6000 block of North Washtenaw in West Ridge.

A neighbor saw Skinner masturbating as she and her fiancé arrived home from work just after midnight. She told police he was on the first-floor balcony, with the balcony door open and hard-core porn playing in his living room inside.

“After I yelled at him, he looked at me like I was crazy,” said the woman, who asked not to be identified by name. “It was like I caught him picking his nose and it wasn’t a big deal and he just continued with his business.”

Mark Schipper says neighbors are very concerned about Skinner's past:

From her perspective outside the balcony, there was no doubt about what he was doing, and it was not being done in private. 

“He was smoking cigarettes, watching porn, I saw everything. He was full-on masturbating on the balcony, I saw him front and back, you could see it all right there, unfortunately.”

The woman said she was not going to call police after the first encounter and went into the condo with her fiancé. About five minutes later, she said, they left to walk their dog and found the man hadn't stopped.

“I was assuming he might have come to his senses. But we went out to walk the dog — we work all day and had to walk the dog — and he’s still at it. I said, ‘You’re still doing this? Seriously?' ”

More words were exchanged, and the man then challenged the fiance to a fight, the neighbor said.

“He said it was his house and he can do what he wants. He wanted to have a fistfight. He just pulled his pants up and wanted to go,” she said.

That was when police were called.

When officers arrived about 12:45 a.m., they found the neighbors arguing outside the building with Skinner, according to police. Skinner eventually brought officers into the condo, where they noted a mixed drink on the balcony table and porn on the television, according to the police report.

When officers talked to him inside this apartment — with the porn still playing — Skinner defended himself, according to the police report.

"Jason Skinner ... related to [responding officers] that he did not do anything wrong, he just 'jagged off,' which is slang used for masturbation. Jason Skinner ... was placed into custody," according to the police report.

Skinner, who told police he hailed from Mount Morris, Ill., was arrested and charged with public indecency, police said. In 2000, he was convicted of attempting to commit "lewd" acts with a minor, and in 2007 he failed to register as a sex offender, according to U.S. Justice Department records.

“I’m afraid of him myself,” said the woman, who is committed to testifying against him in court. “Especially my daughter, she’s petrified that this guy lives below us. And our building is right in front of the park, facing the park.” 

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