Joe Budden Charged with Lewdness After Neighbor Alleges Rapper Stood 'Completely Naked' in Apartment Hallway

Joe Budden has been charged with lewdness after an incident in his apartment building.

The rapper and media personality, 44, was charged Dec. 4 after a neighbor allegedly saw him standing "completely naked" in the hallway of their New Jersey apartment building and caught the moment on a doorbell camera, according to a press release issued by the Edgewater Police Department on Monday, Dec. 30.

Officials arrived on the scene after they were informed of the alleged incident around 7:21 a.m., when Budden's neighbor called in the report. According to the resident, the Joe Budden Podcast host was seen "attempting to enter a code into the door keypad several times before reentering his own residence across the hall."

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The "Pump It Up" emcee was then charged with lewdness "on a complaint summons." In the press release, Edgewater Police Department Chief Donald A. Martin asserts "these charges are merely accusations," adding that Budden "is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

The former Love & Hip-Hop: New York star will appear in court later this month, the police department told PEOPLE.

Reps for Budden did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The Dec. 29 episode of Budden's podcast was not filmed in its usual setting of his apartment, and he claimed the local government no longer allows people to "film anything in any of those buildings."

He then appeared to speak about the apartment incident. "I just sleepwalked somewhere that I shouldn't have sleepwalked. That's what happened," said the host, noting that he sleeps "butt-ass" naked.

"I did it again," added Budden. "Nobody could go through this stuff but me. It's only me... So, you gotta deal with what comes with that."

Budden's lawyer, Nima Ameri, responded to the lewdness charge in a statement to TMZ. "Mr. Budden is saddened by Police Chief Martin's press release. Mr. Budden has been waiting weeks for his cross complaints to be processed which include substantially more serious charges including possible felony charges against the persons behind these charges against him," she began.

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Ameri continued, "The Chief has in our opinion sat on those but instead used his time to gain some free publicity for himself. Chief Martin should seek publicity by doing notable policing not inflaming disorderly person allegations."

"The allegations against Mr. Budden are a minor charge, not even resulting in an arrest. A charge Mr. Budden is looking forward to beating in court on the merits, not in the press. The Chief's comments are reckless," she added. "Our research has not shown a single press release on a disorderly person charge on the police website this year."

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