Nearly 50 men, including a sex offender, will be arrested for having sex at beaches and public parks popular with families and children in Florida, authorities said.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told WPTV that 21 men have already been arrested in connection to “Operation Mangrove†and he expects to arrest 24 others by the end of the week for allegedly having sex at Bob Graham Beach and Joe’s River Park in Martin County.
“We have very clear, very graphic video evidence,†Snyder told the station. “There is nothing left to the imagination.â€
All of the men were caught on camera during a two-month investigation launched after detectives received complaints from the public that they spotted naked men having sex along the boardwalk. Snyder said detectives found several advertisements on Craigslist connected to the illicit romps.
“I think that this is a subculture of people who have their own methodologies for meeting each other,†Snyder said. “They seem to have their own verbal, non-verbal cues that let them know that they’re both there for the same reason.â€
All of the 45 suspects facing charges of lewd and lascivious acts and public exposure – who were identified by police via their license plates – were captured by a hidden camera committing sex acts at the locations, which are regularly frequented by families and young children, according to the station.
Snyder said the investigation will continue – and at additional undisclosed locations throughout Martin County.
“My first concern when I learned about this behavior was for the safety of families,†Snyder said. “Right after one or two of these sexual encounters, a family – uninvolved in any behavior – happened to just walk right by.â€
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told WPTV that 21 men have already been arrested in connection to “Operation Mangrove†and he expects to arrest 24 others by the end of the week for allegedly having sex at Bob Graham Beach and Joe’s River Park in Martin County.
“We have very clear, very graphic video evidence,†Snyder told the station. “There is nothing left to the imagination.â€
All of the men were caught on camera during a two-month investigation launched after detectives received complaints from the public that they spotted naked men having sex along the boardwalk. Snyder said detectives found several advertisements on Craigslist connected to the illicit romps.
“I think that this is a subculture of people who have their own methodologies for meeting each other,†Snyder said. “They seem to have their own verbal, non-verbal cues that let them know that they’re both there for the same reason.â€
All of the 45 suspects facing charges of lewd and lascivious acts and public exposure – who were identified by police via their license plates – were captured by a hidden camera committing sex acts at the locations, which are regularly frequented by families and young children, according to the station.
Snyder said the investigation will continue – and at additional undisclosed locations throughout Martin County.
“My first concern when I learned about this behavior was for the safety of families,†Snyder said. “Right after one or two of these sexual encounters, a family – uninvolved in any behavior – happened to just walk right by.â€
