Palm Bay Police Take Down Suspect For Exposing Himself To Juveniles Walking To School
By Space Coast Daily // March 23, 2018
Charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious exhibition
BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Palm Bay Police have arrested 37-year-old Michael Anson Benjamin on two counts of lewd or lascivious exhibition after receiving a report of a man exposing himself in front of two juveniles walking to school.
According to a release from the Palm Bay Police Department, officers received a report on March 15 that two Southwest Middle School students were walking to school near Turner Square plaza when an unknown black male seated in his vehicle called out to them and exposed himself.
The two students quickly ran towards the school and when they looked back the man was standing to the rear of his vehicle and yelled, “hey come back here.”
The suspect fled the area prior to officers arriving on scene. Detectives with the departments Special Victims Unit opened an investigation and interviewed the victims, along with obtaining surveillance video from all of the surrounding businesses.
Investigators say the vehicle was seen leaving the area at the time of the incident but detectives could not obtain the tag information.
During the next five days, detectives conducted undercover surveillance in the area in an attempt to identify the suspect.
On Thursday, detectives observed Benjamin pull into the Turner Square parking lot in the same manner described in the March 15 incident.
“Officers conducted a traffic stop and during a Post Miranda interview Benjamin confessed to exposing himself to the two students on March 15,” according to a Palm Bay Police spokesperson.
Commander Resh says the arrest was the result of great courage by the victims and outstanding police work by the detectives and officers involved.
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“This individual has a history and pattern of behavior that is extremely concerning to us. Anyone who attempts to victimize our communities children will be met with the full resources of our entire agency,” said Commander Resh.
“This type of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated.”
Police are asking that anyone with information or who may have experienced a similar encounter with this subject please call Detective J. Smith of the Palm Bay Police Department, Special Victims Unit, at 321-952-3463.
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