Neighbors in Lakeland called deputies after they said a 79-year-old man was exposing himself while watering his lawn within sight of two teenage girls, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Grady Judd identified the suspect as Gary Golter and said the girls were 16 and 13. Deputies took Golter into custody and booked him into the county system, authorities said.
In a video shared on social media, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd laid out the scene and publicly named Golter. "It was sunny and he was watering his grass with a hose in his right hand and he had his crank in his left hand," Judd said. As reported by KDNL/ABC St. Louis, Judd said the behavior took place in front of the two girls and that deputies arrested Golter.
Charges and booking
Polk County's online inmate database lists a booking for Gary Golter with booking number 2026-015972, showing a booking date of Tuesday and a release two days later. The Polk County Sheriff's Office inmate profile includes that booking entry along with a photo released by deputies. A separate public booking record on Arrests.org lists charges of vulgar indecent public nudity and lewd and lascivious exhibition and shows bond amounts that total $42,000.
Local context
The arrest comes as the Polk County Sheriff's Office has been spotlighting several recent operations targeting sex crimes against minors. Earlier this spring, a multi-day undercover operation led by the agency resulted in dozens of arrests and highlighted its focus on suspected offenders who target children, according to CBS News Miami.
What’s next
Under Florida law, exposure of sexual organs in a vulgar or indecent manner is addressed under Florida Statute 800.03, while lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of someone under 16 is covered by Florida Statute 800.04. Those statutes carry different penalties depending on the circumstances and the age of the victim. An arrest is not a conviction, and prosecutors with the State Attorney's Office will decide whether to formally file charges in the case.
