76-year-old Maryland man charged with indecent exposure, now under house arrest
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A Maryland man accused in an indecent exposure case has been ordered to remain on house arrest, despite a lengthy criminal history spanning more than three decades.
Steven Eisen, 76, was arrested this week for a Jan. 26 incident when investigators said he was masturbating while seated on a park bench at Elm Street Urban Park in Chevy Chase.
Court documents obtained by FOX 5 state Eisen, who resides in Silver Spring, has been the subject of numerous investigations in Montgomery County.
Prosecutors this week argued he should have been held without bond, citing his criminal history, some of which dates back to June 1989.
Steven Eisen, 76, of Silver Spring. Photo via Montgomery County Police Department.
According to charging documents, Eisen has been arrested and suspected in at least 13 cases over the past nearly 35 years, with the majority of cases involving indecent exposure, including minor victims.
Court documents state Eisen "is and remains a danger to the community" based on his "prior criminal history of sexual offenses, abuse, indecent conduct, burglary […] and history of victimizing children."
According to online court records, District Judge Eric Nee oversaw the case this week when prosecutors asked for the defendant to be held without bond. Eisen, instead, was ordered to remain on house arrest.
FOX 5 reached out to the Administrative Office of Courts for clarification on the reasoning behind house arrest, despite objections from prosecutors. A spokesperson for the office emailed FOX 5 that the Maryland Judiciary and judges cannot comment on pending matters.
Rai Guedes of Chevy Chase visits the park on Elm Street often with his dog.
"I think it’s terrible. I mean, this is a good neighborhood … Very quiet park, and I’d be very uncomfortable seeing anything here like that or violent like that," Guedes said, referring to the January incident. "I think it’s a complicated situation. I mean, that history. I guess you expect to be a repeat offender or something. But I’m not familiar with the law in that case. I don’t know what you can do about it. Can you put someone in jail for that?"
No one answered the door when FOX 5 stopped by Eisen’s home for comment.
We were eventually able to reach the suspect via phone, and he told us he did not have a comment on the allegations.
Investigators with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, which made the most recent arrest in Chevy Chase, would like to know if there are additional victims or witnesses. Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip line at 301-929-2748 or crimetips@mncparkpolice.org.