An Oregon man with a staggering 166 arrests and 55 convictions dating back to his teenage years has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Joshua Cory Nealy, 41, received the life sentence on Friday for a January 2023 incident in which he exposed himself to a female clothing store employee and a security officer, according to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Details of the Crime
Nealy, who was on parole at the time, entered the Washington Square Mall in Portland and began interacting with a skeptical clothing store clerk. He aimlessly browsed the store, gathering a random assortment of clothes, and then asked the female clerk for assistance while he was nude in the changing room. He opened the door fully and exposed himself to her, the release stated. Nealy then invited the woman to engage in sexual activity and attempted to coax her into the dressing room. The victim quickly alerted a security officer, whom Nealy also exposed himself to before fleeing the store with a stolen pair of sunglasses.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Officers from the Tigard Police Department apprehended the registered sex offender on the same day. Prior to sentencing, Nealy's attorneys argued that he had a compromised mental state. They cited a police report from his 2007 attempted rape conviction, describing how he was using methamphetamine, had been awake for two days, and believed his mother was the Queen of Southern England. They also referenced a sentencing memo from his first public indecency conviction, where he was reportedly speaking gibberish. Additionally, the lawyers alleged that Nealy was under the influence during the mall incident.
Life Sentence Imposed
Despite these arguments, Washington County Circuit Judge Theodore Sims sentenced Nealy to life in prison, in accordance with a state statute mandating life imprisonment for defendants with two prior felony sex crime convictions. Court records show that Nealy still faces two outstanding cases for assault and attempted assault in Washington County. His criminal record, which began at age 14, includes charges of attempted rape, robbery, various assaults, and failure to register as a sex offender.
