In North Carolina, a prayer for judgment is typically reserved for traffic violations or minor misdemeanors. It allows a defendant to plead guilty to a crime without the plea entered against them. When granted a prayer for judgment the recipient need only pay court costs.

In North Carolina a prayer for judgment counts as a conviction for the prosecutor but in general does not count as a conviction against the defendant.

Indecent exposure is "willfully exposing private parts of his person in a public place and in the presence of another person." Indecent exposure is a Class 2 misdemeanor, a charge that carries a maximum punishment of 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Each man paid $180 in court costs. Tampa paid an additional $20 billed as an "installment fee," according to court records.

Southern Pines police charged both men on Oct. 3, 2014 after police say an officer observed both men engage in two separate sexual acts with one another in the woods at Reservoir Park around lunch on Oct. 2.

Tampa resigned his position on Oct. 14, 2014.

*****

Prominent Minister, Whispering Pines Man Charged with Indecent Exposure

TOM EMBREY
THE PILOT
http://www.thepilot.com
October 14, 2014

The prominent pastor of Emmanuel Episcopal Church has resigned his position after he and a 79-year-old Whispering Pines man were charged with indecent exposure. A Southern Pines police officer observed the two men engaged in sexual acts in the woods of Reservoir Park on Oct. 2.

The Rev. John Grey Tampa, 62, of Southern Pines, and Howard Wildey Reynolds, 79, of Whispering Pines, were charged on Oct. 3 in connection with the incident and given a court date of Oct. 28.

The charge of indecent exposure is a second-class misdemeanor. As a Class 2 misdemeanor, the charge carries a maximum punishment of 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Prosecutors also could agree to a lesser charge, a deferred prosecution or an outright dismissal.

District Attorney Maureen Krueger declined to comment on any ongoing case.

Jim Van Camp, a Pinehurst attorney representing Tampa, declined comment Tuesday. Reynolds also declined comment.

Tampa resigned as rector Tuesday evening during an emergency Vestry meeting. In a statement emailed to church members, the Vestry said:

"An article will appear in The Pilot Wednesday, regarding an incident involving our Rector, Father John Tampa. Your Vestry requests that you do not make any judgments until the legal process has been completed.

"Because of this incident, Father John has concluded that he can no longer be effective as our Rector. He offered his resignation this evening, effective immediately. It is with the greatest regret that the Vestry has accepted his resignation. Father John is leaving because he loves this church and does not want to be the center of any controversy. He has consulted with Bishop Curry and has the Bishop's full support in making this painful decision.

'Please know that, with a heart filled with love, it has been a true joy and blessing to serve God with you in this community,' Father John said. 'I ask for your prayers, and please know you will be in mine as well.' The Vestry acknowledges all of the outstanding work that Father John has done during his tenure as Rector, and we deeply appreciate his service and ministry."

The Right Rev. Michael Curry, bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, will hold a parishwide meeting with Emmanuel members Thursday evening at 7:15 p.m. in the Parish Hall, Church Senior Warden Chris Larsen said.

The Oct. 2 incident began shortly after 12:30 p.m. Officer Jason Perry, a nine-year veteran of the department and a plainclothes officer, was on duty and at the park's main parking lot off N.C. 22 in his unmarked police car, said Capt. Charles Campbell, the public information officer with the Southern Pines Police Department.

Campbell said the department had recently received complaints from park visitors about homosexual activity occurring off the park trails in the woods. Police commanders have asked officers to spend more time at the park as their workloads allow, Campbell said.

Perry observed two vehicles pull in and park at the main lot at Reservoir Park, Campbell said. One man, later identified as Tampa, arrived in a black Volkswagen. He exited his vehicle first, hopped over a low wooden split-rail fence, urinated and then walked to the woods. A second man, later identified as Reynolds, exited a red Mercury in the parking lot and followed Tampa.

Perry observed both men walk together down a path that was not a regular walking path, and into the woods, Campbell said. He also said that Perry indicated that the two men acted "strangely," and he followed them down a path and into the tree line to an area that was not deep into the woods.

According to Campbell, Perry observed the two men engage in two separate sex acts with each other.

As the two men exited the woods a few minutes later, Perry approached the two and separated them. Perry then called his supervising lieutenant to respond. Together, the two officers questioned Tampa and Reynolds separately.

When asked if either man acknowledged knowing the other, Campbell said, "The Rev. Tampa said he was familiar with Mr. Reynolds, but Mr. Reynolds said he was not familiar with Mr. Tampa."

Officers later consulted with the district attorney's office as part of the investigation, and then charged each man on Oct. 3 with a single count of indecent exposure.

Campbell said police were not targeting either man. He also said that Tampa was not cited for urinating in public, but that the act was part of the investigation that led to the charge of indecent exposure.

Campbell said he could not give a specific number of complaints from the public about homosexual activity at Reservoir Park.

"It's enough that we made a concerted effort to have our staff be more vigilant in that area," Campbell said.

Officers will continue to be visible in the park in an effort to deter illegal activities, Campbell said.

Tampa was called to Emmanuel Episcopal Church in 2006, according to his biography on the church's website.

A message seeking comment from Curry's office was not immediately returned.

Tampa has become a prominent member of the ministerial community in Moore County since his time here, and has been active in a number of communitywide issues and numerous nonprofits. He has also worked previously with the Southern Pines Police Department and officiated a service last year when one of its retired K9 officers died. Tampa also has served as officiant during the annual Thanksgiving Day Blessing of the Hounds in Southern Pines.

The native New Yorker and a married father of three adult children, Tampa previously served as rector of St. Peter's Church in Great Valley, Pa., from 1999 to 2006. Before that he served as assistant rector at St. David's Episcopal Church, in Wayne, Pa.

Tampa left a career in business in 1995 and entered the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va., graduating with a master's degree in divinity in 1998.

Emmanuel has one of the larger congregations in Moore County. In June, the church began a renovation that includes the building of a new choir loft and other construction changes to the church. It also completed a successful fundraising drive for a new organ, which will go into the renovated space.

The changes are expected to be completed in 2015.

END