MOUNT DORA – A man is behind bars after being arrested for allegedly masturbating while naked next to a public pool where children were playing. Russell Edwin Wakefield, 46, was charged with committing a lewd and lascivious act in the presence of a child when a maintenance worker at Bristol Lakes Apartments noticed a man hanging around the pool while children were playing.
According to police reports, the maintenance worker, Santiago Martinez, observed a white male wearing glasses, later identified as Wakefield, walk behind the pool area. Martinez thought the man looked suspicious and decided to look for him in the wooded area behind the pool. Martinez told officers that when he found him, Wakefield was completely naked with his penis in his right hand and was masturbating while looking toward the direction of the pool area where the children were swimming.
Santiago’s wife, Demetrice called police while Santiago chased Wakefield away from the pool area and managed to detain him until police arrived.
The arresting officer noted in his report that while speaking to Santiago, Wakefield burst out yelling, “no kids ever saw me masturbating!” and “this guy didn’t see me doing anything!”.
Witnesses stated Wakefield was hiding behind a wooden fence approximately 20 feet from the pool area where 10-12 young children were. When officers searched the area, they found a tube of vaseline in the spot where witnesses say they saw Wakefield.
Officers questioned 9 children ranging from 6 to 15 years of age, they all stated they did not observe the incident.
A quick search of the FDLE Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators website did not show any results for Wakefield.
However, the arrest report states that while booking Wakefield at the Mount Dora Police Department, a criminal history search revealed 23 misdemeanor convictions for either lewd and lascivious acts and exposure of sexual organs. It also revealed that Wakefield had 4 felony counts that include fondling of a child and was also arrested in Colorado for indecent exposure to minors and adults.
A search of Lake County court records shows that Wakefield was arrested in Lake County before on similar charges and served 10 months in the Lake County Jail after being sentenced by a jury.
The arrest report also states that Wakefield is not listed as a sex offender.
Wakefield was transported to the Lake County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond according to Lake County arrest records.
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