A summer camp drive through Cody took a disturbing turn when, investigators say, a group of children allegedly found themselves looking out the windows of their van at a man driving alongside them without pants and pleasuring himself while making eye contact with those in the van.
Court records show that rather than let him disappear into traffic, two camp counselors followed the vehicle through Cody, photographed its license plate and called law enforcement.
Cody police officers say they quickly realized the registered owner was someone they already knew.
Andrew Crawford, a Cody resident born in 1988 and a registered sex offender, has been charged with felony indecent liberties with a minor and several public indecency misdemeanors spanning multiple years.
He’s the same man who was convicted of public indecency in April 2023 after he repeatedly exposed himself to female baristas at Cody coffee kiosks during the fall of 2022.
Those incidents continued for weeks before one barista responded by dumping scalding 170-degree water into Crawford's lap after he exposed himself.
6 Juveniles
Park County dispatch got the report about Crawford's more recent allegations at about 4:34 p.m. on Friday, court records show.
One of the camp counselors told investigators that he and another counselor were traveling through Cody with six juveniles when a blue Chevrolet Impala pulled alongside their van.
The counselor reported that the driver had removed his pants and was masturbating while looking through the van's windows. He told deputies all six campers and both counselors witnessed the alleged conduct.
Dispatch identified the vehicle as being registered to Crawford, whom the investigating officer wrote he recognized from prior law enforcement contacts involving similar allegations.
Court records show he was accused of exposing himself to two girls and their mother in a Cody Walmart parking lot in 2011 — this while under investigation for allegedly possessing child pornography while serving in the U.S. Air Force in 2009.
He was sentenced in 2012 to 72 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
Witnesses Identified Crawford
Investigators presented the counselors with a six-photo lineup, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
Before the officer had finished explaining the identification process, a counselor said he already knew who the suspect was and immediately identified Crawford's photograph.
He told investigators he recognized him by his bald head, facial hair and face shape, saying the only difference was that the driver had been wearing glasses.
The other counselor also identified Crawford as the man he said he made eye contact with during the incident, says the affidavit.
The following morning, investigators reviewed the counselors' written statements.
"Both witness statements corroborate the emotional distress and shock of the juvenile campers after they all witnessed the same exposed genitalia and masturbating motions with his hand on his penis," says the affidavit.
Investigators also confirmed with camp's operations director that the van's windows were not tinted and that passengers inside were clearly visible from outside.
Because Crawford has prior military and Wyoming convictions involving public indecency and sex offender registration violations, the investigating officer asked prosecutors to expedite an arrest warrant, he wrote.
Deputies arrested Crawford later that afternoon without incident.
Court Proceedings
Crawford made his initial appearance in Park County Circuit Court on Monday, where a judge set his bond at $100,000 cash only.
If released, Crawford must remain in Park County as a condition of bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 22 in Cody.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
