On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, the PCSO Undercover Vice Unit conducted an operation at Saddle Creek Park, Gator Creek Preserve, and Lake Fannie Boat Ramp in unincorporated Polk County, in response to complaints about lewd activity at the parks. Four suspects were arrested for lewd activity.
54-year-old Martin Guajardo of Timberlake Road North in Lakeland, exposed himself to and solicited an undercover male detective to perform a sex act at Gator Creek Preserve in Lakeland. He was arrested and charged with one count indecent exposure (M-1), one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1), and one count committing lewdness (M-2). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He remains in the Polk County Jail in lieu of $1,250 bond.
74-year-old Emil Cygal of Bambi Drive in Lakeland, solicited an undercover male detective to perform sex acts at Gator Creek Preserve in Lakeland. He was arrested and charged with two counts soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He remains in the Polk County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bond.
54-year-old Robert Anthony Messer of New Tampa Hwy in Lakeland, solicited an undercover male detective at Lake Fannie Boat Ramp in Winter Haven to perform a sex act. He was arrested and charged with one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He was previously arrested in 2013 by Winter Haven P.D. for exposing himself to a 16-year-old boy at a city bus stop on Havendale Blvd. He’s being held in the Polk County Jail on no bond until a first appearance hearing this afternoon.
78-year-old James Gerstner of Polk City Road in Haines City, exposed himself to and solicited an undercover male detective to perform a sex act at Lake Fannie Boat Ramp in Winter Haven. He was arrested and charged with one count indecent exposure (M-1), and one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He is being held in the Polk County Jail.
“We will continue to conduct operations such as this one to get the message across to everyone that we will not tolerate this type of criminal activity at our parks. We arrested four suspects last week, and four suspects this week, and we will keep making arrests as long as people continue to ignore our warnings.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
