The at least partly inaccurate terms “unnatural and lascivious acts”–a euphemism for masturbation, one of the more natural if preferably private acts in creation–have again made an appearance in Flagler County Sheriff’s reports, and again in connection with Graham Swamp, long favored as a trail of choice for exhibitionists and onanists.
It had been a while: Graham Swamp was last busy with wanker-patrol stings in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The four-year lull ended at 10:41 a.m. Friday.
Two men were arrested at the swamp in the middle of the day after the Sheriff’s Office, acting on a complaint, conducted a sting operation there by sending one of its own–a sergeant–posing as a man who, like Peter Sellers in “Being There,” likes to watch.
Both arrests, according to the men’s arrest reports, followed the same pattern.
The sheriff’s sergeant parked his car in the parking lot, entered the trail at the southern end of the trailhead, then made contact with a man wearing a pink t-shirt and blue shorts who allegedly turned out to be Scott A. May, a 53-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s W-Section. The sergeant engaged him in “general conversation”, with the sergeant insinuating that he was “new to this” and was “really shy.” The man asked him what he liked to do normally. That’s when the sergeant delivered Chauncey Gardiner’s famous like: “I like to watch” (though Chauncey, of course, was referring to television.)
The two men walked into a shaded area, and the 53 year old asked the sergeant what he wished to see. “It’s up to you,” the cop replied. So the man allegedly pulled down his shorts and began masturbating in full view of the undercover cop, or as the report has it, “in a fashion consistent with male masturbation.”
The two men were not alone. When the sergeant “gave the take-down signal to the awaiting take-down team,” that team moved in, and May was arrested. The incident was also documented on video.
The second arrest took place about two hours later, of Melton Tucker, a 64-year-old resident of Erwin, Tenn. The sequence was almost identical aside from the coral-colored polo shirt and dark shorts the man was wearing, and the man’s suggestion that he had something else in mind in addition to masturbating, though it only got as far as that when the “take-down” signal came.
Both men were charged with exposure of sexual organs and “unnatural and lascivious act,” both misdemeanors that, judging from history, are not punished harshly: previous cases resulted in the payment of a fine and court costs, or six months’ probation.
In one case, however, Jason Stockwell, then 33, of Palm Coast, exposed himself to a 15 year old, which immediately vaulted the charge into grave felony sex-offender territory. That was a 2012 case. He is named here because the case isn’t over: he was just sent to prison over it a few months ago.
The original charge was downgraded from a sexual molestation offense that could have carried a 15-year prison sentence and a sex-offender designation to a felony battery charge, a third-degree felony that does not carry the sex-offender designation. Stockwell pleaded no contest, and he was sentenced to probation. But last fall he was arrested in St. Augustine on a grand theft and drug charges, which, along with other issues such as not reporting his change of residence, resulted in probation violation on the 2012 case. Just six months ago he was sentenced to two and a half years in state prison.
Stings at Graham Swamp were conducted previously by the Sheriff’s Office in hopes of sending a message rather than sending people to jail: Graham Swamp is a public park, not a boudoir. Sheriff Don Fleming conducted his share of stings there. So did Jim Manfre. And now, Rick Staly. But something about the swamp refuses to be drained.
Veteran says
Please do it in private.
MannyHM says
In mental hospitals, onanism can be a problem. Most these offenders have borderline or full blown dementia that the staff can not do anything about in a legal and humane way. They are told to do this act in private and its effectiveness is about 50%. Now, if we are dealing with a true deviant – young and predatory, that’s a different breed of animal. A taste of jail, fine, sex offender registered, and probation have to be imposed. In Singapore, public caning is extremely effective > 90%. This might be worth a try and the evidence is easily gathered with the ubiquitous cellphone cameras.
JasonB says
This sounds very much like entrapment, with the sergeant encouraging these men to expose themselves.
Sw says
Just what we needed to top off an eventful week of crime in PC nice job Sarge. SMH
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Leapin’ Lizards! The swamp seems to be infested with One-Eyed Trouser Trout.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
I was also amused to see an ad next to this story touting FlaglerLive as “You BEST Online Exposure.”
RayD says
This was such a persistent problem in rest stops along rural route US 33 in Ohio, that the state finally bulldozed the rest stops. Can’t bulldoze the swamp. Maybe control access?
fredrick says
OK… did anyone besides me have to look up Onanists??
Mr. Hand Man says
This is exactly why I stopped going out on these trails and I’m a male. I’m afraid I’ll get lumped in with these clowns. You go to get out of your car and all you see is men sneaking around the shrubbery, that’s when I immediately make a u turn. This isn’t a coincidence these disgusting, poor excuses for men deliberately seek places like this out to do their filth. There’s no excuse I hope they get poison ivy!
Charity Flint says
Discussing! Way to go Flagler County officers. Get these sick os off out streets and patks
ASF says
Palm Coast is a haven for sex offenders. And Probation/Parole officers from all over love to send them here to live because there are cheap rentals and the public puts up with it.
Kermit says
Ewwwww. I would really hate to be the detective selected for that “undercover” operation. Good Job catching Pervs FCSO
Worried Grammy says
I’ll be crossing that park off the list of things to do with the gandkids…..
B says
Entrapment, I don’t care if a general tried to get me to do that, I would think he’s nuts. Good job FCSO. Shame them till they don’t want to leave their house.
Violet says
Mr. Hand Man, Agree on the Poison Ivy. No disrespect meant, but I had a giggle when I saw your name. LOL
snapperhead says
Great hands on work FCSO. Get a grip on this problem and head it off. Don’t let them beat the charges. Some hard labor would do these 2 some good.
palmcoaster says
Thank you Sheriff officers for a job well done! Got to get these perverts, druggies and prostitution out of our city and county! The community can help by reporting suspicious activities and also taking photos and evidence without risking themselves when possible and give it to our sheriff offices to help them rid us of these felons.
woody says
They sound innocent to me.Maybe they were searching the woods for the ever illusive confederate statues.
John iles says
Entrapment???! Really?!? Who the fuck exposed their junk in public???
Mark101 says
There are sickos out there in them there woods. Good work Flagler County Sheriff’s Dept.
Kathy A says
I was afraid to look it up. Gosh knows what internet site it would link me to. SMH
gmath55 says
@ fredrick I looked it up. I thought it was somebody that plays an organ aka musician. Well, they are playing something but it not an organ. LOL
joe bagodonuts says
another reason not to build the path in the F section.
USA Lover says
Just sayin' says
THIS is why we can’t have nice things!
lol
Dave says
I’m confused, the Cop asked him, and told him what to do? The whole thing sounds gross but it seems the cop asked for it, was there other people around? Weird
JasonB says
John iles says: Entrapment???! Really?!? Who the fuck exposed their junk in public???
Based on what I see in the news, a lot of men do it, mostly Republican congressman and televangelists.
Geroge says
It’s definitely not entrapment, this kind of sting is no different than a prostitution sting. It happens all the time. Don’t wank in public and you won’t get arrested.
Ritchie says
I owe you Flaglerlive!
I added a great word to my vocabulary! Onanist! Too bad I lived all my 85 years without knowing it!
FlaglerLive says
Thank you Ritchie. It is an ageless word, and as grizzled as Genesis.
Katie Semore says
@Ritchie, now to be able to work the newly learned word into a conversation. Heehee
Pogo says
@Katie Semore
What’s the difference between Trump speaking and Tweeting in front of children, and all people, and an Onanist?
Your turn.