An 85-year-old man who lives in The Villages was taken into custody by Sumter County Sheriff's deputies on a misdemeanor warrant accusing him of violating Florida's peeping tom statute. Robert Donald Rice, who resides in the Vera Cruz Villas neighborhood, was booked and later released after posting a $1,000 bond.
According to jail records cited by Villages-News.com, Rice is charged with violating the state's peeping tom law following his arrest on the warrant. The outlet reports he was released from the Sumter County jail the same day after posting bond. Warrant details, including the underlying probable cause affidavit, had not been made public as of the report.
Florida's voyeurism statute is codified at Fla. Stat. § 810.14, according to Online Sunshine, the state's official legislative portal. As charged, the offense against Rice is a misdemeanor warrant, meaning it is an accusation and not a finding of guilt.
What a First-Degree Misdemeanor Carries in Florida
Under Florida Statutes §§ 775.082 and 775.083, a first-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in county jail, 12 months of probation, and a $1,000 fine, per the Sammis Law Firm. Nothing in the available jail records or reporting indicates Rice has prior voyeurism convictions.
It remains unclear whether Rice's case involves recording equipment or falls under the traditional observation-based statute, as the warrant affidavit has not been released.
A Case Set Against The Villages' Unique Demographics
Rice lives in Vera Cruz Villas, a patio villa neighborhood within the Village of Santo Domingo. Sumter County is home to The Villages.
That growth has translated into steady work for local law enforcement. The Sumter County Detention Center in Bushnell processes roughly 4,600 inmate bookings annually across all county agencies and maintains a 521-bed capacity, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office. The detention center handles central booking and release after a bond is paid.
The Sheriff's Office oversees countywide law enforcement and detention operations, including the intake and release process that governed Rice's booking and bond.
Details Still Emerging
Rice is originally from Rochester, New York, according to social media referenced in the Villages-News.com report. No further biographical or case details have been confirmed publicly. The probable cause affidavit outlining the specific allegations against Rice has not yet been released by Sumter County authorities, leaving the precise circumstances of the arrest unknown for now.
