published: Sunday, September 30, 2012

Four arrested in Veteran's Beach sting

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

SEBRING -- In response to reports of lewd behavior occurring in the men's room at Veterans Beach, the Sebring Police Department recently conducted a series of undercover operations there. Four men, ranging in ages from 40-75, were arrested for sex crimes last week in the operation that took place inside the men's bathroom.

Friday the police department announced the arrest of three men Wednesday, all at 9:27 a.m. Another man was arrested at 8:53 a.m. Friday.

The Sebring Police Department runs these sting operations occassionally when it recognizes that this type of behavior has increased, as previously reported in the News-Sun.

All four men are charged with indecent exposure (a first degree misdemeanor) and soliciting a lewd act (a second degree misdemeanor). All four men masturbated in front of an undercover officer.

According to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office website, Ronald Wayne Hancock Jr., 45, of Sebring was arrested only once before, in 2009, for fraud and insufficient funds under $150. This was his first offense for soliciting a lewd act, according to the SPD report.

Randall L. Kemp, 40, of Sebring has no other arrests on file. In addition to charges of soliciting a lewd behavior and indecent exposure, he was charged with possession of under 20 grams of marijuana (a first degree misdemeanor).

Floyd Franklin Manning, 75, also lives in Sebring. He could not be found on a search of the HCSO's website's inmate search engine, nor a record of his booking.

Joe Gerald Wood, 66, of Wauchula was arrested Friday morning. This arrest is the only one on his record. Wood was also charged with committing a lewd act (first degree misdemeanor).

Except for Manning, the men were released without having to post a bond. Manning will appear on Oct. 18 to answer charges in this complaint.

The News-Sun was unable to find the record of the Manning case's disposition.