Bradenton Beach man was watching girls in bikinis. That’s not all he was doing, cops say

A 67-year-old man is charged with misdemeanor lewd and lascivious behavior after a family visiting Coquina Beach observed him masturbating, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Gary Alan Ligett was arrested Tuesday on the arrest warrant.

Detectives say Ligett was at Coquina Beach around 2 p.m. on May 6 when the family observed him with his hands down his shorts.

Witnesses contacted two code enforcement officers in the area who went to the area, but Ligett had moved, according to the warrant.

The officers were able to locate Ligett at a different area of the beach watching a group of teenage girls and observed Ligett again reach under his shorts, detectives say.

According to the warrant, the activity continued until the girls walked away. Beach patrol, as well as the Bradenton Beach Police Department, got involved and made contact with Ligett.

Ligett was subsequently trespassed from the beach, as the sheriff’s office picked up the investigation.

The investigation led to an arrest warrant being issued on May 21 and Ligett was taken into custody on Tuesday.

He was booked into the Manatee County jail and posted a $120 bond that same day and was released pending a future court date.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 10:48 AM.