According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Bandy, 56, was arrested at Duff Park on Sunday, January 6th, around 12:23 PM.
“We arrest a lot of people for not keeping their hands to themselves, but in the case of Michael Bandy of Lakeland, he was arrested by PCSO for keeping his hands to himself but doing things with his hands that he shouldn’t have been doing,” said PCSO on X.
A PCSO deputy responded to the park’s playground after receiving a report that a man had exposed himself and was engaging in inappropriate behavior in the presence of a woman and her 4-year-old child.
This is not Bandy’s first encounter with law enforcement for similar offenses. His criminal record shows two prior convictions for exposure of sexual organs in 2023 and 2024.
Following his arrest, Bandy was transported to the Polk County Jail and charged with:
- Exposure of Sexual Organs with Prior Conviction (F3): This charge is enhanced due to Bandy’s previous convictions for the same offense.
- Lewd & Lascivious Behavior in the Presence of a Minor (F2): A felony charge reflecting the presence of a child during the alleged act.
Bandy has been officially trespassed from Duff Park.