‘Disgusting and disturbing’: Morris County man accused of leaving lewd photos on cars

🚨A 74-year-old man was charged with leaving lewd messages on women’s cars

🚨Incidents reported in Randolph, Mount Arlington, and Rockaway Township

🚨Suspect released under strict monitoring

The case of the nasty letters and graphic photos left on windshields appears to have been solved.

After a woman went public about finding a sexually explicit message on the windshield of her car in the parking lot of the Black River Barn restaurant in Randolph on Oct. 11, several other people reported similar messages left for them.

Officials said they include a 17-year-old female and her mother who found a graphic Polaroid photo and extremely explicit message at a QuickChek in Mount Arlington on Sept. 30, and an adult at a restaurant in Rockway Township in June.

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Randolph police arrest 74-year-old Budd Lake man in connection with case

An investigation by Randolph police led to charges against Thomas Hughes, 74, of the  Budd Lake section of Mount Olive. He was arrested on Oct. 15 and charged with:

• One count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child (sexual conduct)
• One count of third-degree providing obscene materials to a minor
• Three counts of fourth-degree distributing obscene materials
• Four counts of lewdness, a disorderly persons offense,
• Four counts of harassment, a petty disorderly persons offense

According to the affidavit in the case, Hughes admitted to the Randolph and Rockaway incidents, and said he left the messages in an effort to sexually arouse himself.

Hughes was initially held at the Morris County Correctional Facility but released on pretrial monitoring Level III, with special conditions that he have no contact with the victims and not to return to the businesses where the alleged incidents took place.

Anyone with information about the investigation should call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at 973-285-6200.

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