FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Despite a widely viewed warning from deputies, detectives say they found more elderly men committing lewd acts at the DJ Wilcox Preserve.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says its Special Investigations Unit returned to the preserve on Oct. 2 for another undercover operation after continued reports of inappropriate activity.
During separate encounters, detectives arrested 70-year-old Danny Patrick Wright and 65-year-old Paul Joseph Focazio. Both were charged with exposure of sexual organs and taken to the St. Lucie County Jail.
The sheriff’s office said the operation was conducted despite steady rain.
The latest arrests come after a series of similar undercover operations at the preserve off Old Dixie Highway.
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In November 2025, three elderly men were arrested in two days during undercover operations targeting reports of lewd activity, according to previous reports.
83-year-old Robert Kusher was arrested on a charge of exposure of sexual organs after an undercover detective encountered him at the preserve. The sheriff’s office said Kusher approached the detective and made sexual comments before the encounter led to his arrest.
SLCSO arrested Robert Kusher, 83, of Port St. Lucie for exposure of sexual organs. (SLCSO)
The previous day, detectives arrested 82-year-old Claude Higgins and 87-year-old Dallas Freeman, who the sheriff’s office said exposed themselves and propositioned undercover deputies for sexual activity. Both were charged with exposure of sexual organs.
FILE -{ }Claude Higgins, 82, and Dallas Freeman, 87, allegedly exposed themselves and propositioned undercover deputies for sexual activity. Both were booked on counts of exposure of sexual organs. (SLCSO){ }
After the latest operation, the sheriff’s office took to social media with a blunt message for people engaging in inappropriate behavior at the preserve.
The agency said an earlier warning about enforcement operations generated more than 257,000 views and was picked up by local news, but apparently did not reach everyone.
The sheriff’s office said it plans to return to the preserve for additional enforcement operations but won’t announce when or where they will happen.
Its message to park visitors: behave appropriately.
The sheriff’s office said the only part of its enforcement strategy that will remain a secret is the timing and location of the next operation.