VENICE, Fla. -- The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested six men, ranging in age from 51 to 80, for indecent exposure and solicitation crimes during an undercover investigation at Caspersen Beach.
According to SCSO, Special Investigation Section detectives received reports of lewd behavior occurring at various areas around the Venice beach. On Tuesday and Friday, undercover detectives monitoring the beach, picnic area, and trails observed six men engaging in a variety of inappropriate conduct in public.
In each instance, the man openly interacted with an undercover detective by exposing sexual organs or soliciting lewd behavior.
According to a sheriff's office report, the six men were arrested for the following acts:
62-year-old William Campbell of Venice, is charged with Indecent Exposure. He was released Tuesday evening on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say Campbell attempted to grab the detective's genitals while walking along a path and offered to perform a lewd act.
74-year-old Joseph Fecik of North Port is charged with Indecent Exposure. He was released Friday evening on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say while walking on a path Fecik groped the detective and exposed himself.
71-year-old Stephen Gergatz of Sarasota is charged with Indecent Exposure. He was released Friday evening on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say Gergatz was observed sitting in a hammock completely nude in plain view.
70-year-old Richard Higgins of Englewood is charged with Indecent Exposure. He was released Tuesday evening on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say Higgins was seen sitting in a beach chair with no shorts or underwear.
80-year-old Thomas Learmont of Birch Run, MI, is charged with Indecent Exposure. He was released Friday afternoon on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say Learmont led them into the woods where he began rubbing the detective's chest and exposed himself.
51-year-old Randy Rivette of Lake George, NY, is charged with Soliciting a Prostitute. He was released Tuesday afternoon on $500 bond. Undercover detectives say Rivette went to a secluded area with the detective and began grabbing his and the detectives genitals.
