A Zanesville man was convicted of public indecency as a result of a bench trial in municipal court Friday.

According to reports from the Zanesville Police Department, 23 year-old Isaiah Draughn asked a 68 year-old woman for directions to “the college” while she was walking along South Street Downtown on Dec. 3 around 11:30 a.m.

When the woman approached Draughn, who was sitting in his car in an alley between Sixth and Seventh Streets, she noticed he was looking down at his lap while she gave him directions and appeared to be masturbating.

When the victim said she was calling the police, Draughn left before she could get his license information. However, she had another chance upon a second encounter with Draughn a week later.

Again while Downtown, the victim saw Draughn delivering a pizza to the county prosecutor’s office.

The victim told police she recognized the man and also believed he remembered her by the look on his face and his refusal to wait for a tip for the pizza.

The detective assigned to the case later contacted the owner of a local pizza franchise, who confirmed the person delivering to the prosecutor’s office that day was the general manager of the East Pike store, Isaiah Draughn.

The victim identified Draughn in a photo lineup, and Draughn was interviewed the next day.

Draughn denied his involvement and claimed he would have been sleeping at the time of the incident since he doesn’t get off work until 12:30 a.m.

When Draughn was summoned for an arraignment on Jan. 10, he pleaded not guilty and chose to take the matter to trial.

Following the jury’s finding of guilty, Judge William Joseph imposed a 60-day jail sentence and suspended 55 of those days for a total of five.

Draughn was also ordered to pay a $250 fine. 

The victim, who wishes to remain unnamed, advises anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation to notify police and be able to provide the license plate number and a solid physical description.