Caught in the act?

Friday, December 1, 2006

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The incident happened in the men's room of Taylor Park in Largo.

An assistant state attorney for the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office is accused of being caught with his pants down in a public park.

The three-day undercover operation into activities at Taylor Park in Largo may have cost 36-year-old Fred Andrew Taylor his job.

Inside the men's room at the park, nine people were caught in the act of exposing themselves.

"Many times the officers would be in the bathroom and they'd be approached and the individuals would expose themselves by pulling out their private parts," said Largo Police Chief Lester Aradi. "This is about an inappropriate activity in a public place and public places where some of these people are choosing to confront strangers."

According to an affidavit, on Nov. 14 an undercover Largo police officer was speaking to Taylor in the men's room when another man walked in.

The officer left and returned to find both men near the urinals facing each other at first, then the urinals. When the officer asked what was

Aradi said that kind of activity will not be tolerated.

going on, the other man said, "just masturbating."

The report continues in graphic detail.

According to the chief assistant to the state attorney, "Fred Taylor is no longer employed by us. He said he was sorry that he embarrassed the office and immediately resigned the next day after the incident."

"This type of activity is simply not going to be tolerated in Largo," Aradi said. "It shouldn't take place in any public park, but we are really cracking down in the City of Largo. Don't come here to do it."

Taylor was officially charged with a misdemeanor exposure of sexual organs. He'll make his first court appearance Dec. 12.

According to Aradi, in addition to Taylor those charged were:

Robert George Dreslin IV, 30
Robert Dwayne Weyant, 43
Francis Edward Deller, 61
Fred Andrew Taylor, 36
Darryl Lee Delisle, 46
Terry Cecil Dyer, 59
Steven Thomas Izzo, 61
William Luther Knight, 39
Robert Roy Whittle, 27