Nudity On Beach, Lewd Actions Result In 6 Arrests

VENICE, FL — The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of six men ranging in age from 51 to 80 after its deputies conducted a multi-day investigation into alleged lewd behavior at Caspersen Beach.

According to the agency, its special investigations detectives kicked off an undercover operation last Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Venice beach. During that operation, detectives monitored the beach, picnic area and trails and ultimately ended up observing “six men engaging in a variety of inappropriate conduct in public,” a Monday email from the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies say all six men “openly interacted with an undercover detective by exposing sexual organs or soliciting lewd behavior.”

Those arrested were:

• William Campbell, 62, of Venice. Indecent exposure charge
• Joseph Fecik, 74, of North Port. Indecent exposure charge.
• Stephen Gergatz, 71, of Sarasota. Indecent exposure charge.
• Richard Higgins, 70, of Englewood. Indecent exposure charge.
• Thomas Learmont, 80, of Birch Run, Michigan. Indecent exposure charge.
• Randy Rivette, 51, of Lake George, New York. Soliciting a prostitute charge.

All six men were booked into the Sarasota County Jail and later released in lieu of $500 bond each.

Booking photos of Cambell, Fecik, Gergatz, Higgins, Learmont and Rivette courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office