The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office announced on October 10, 2026, that four people were arrested in an undercover Blind Creek Beach sting in Fort Pierce, Florida, an operation targeting alleged illegal sexual activity outside the beach’s designated clothing-optional area. Those arrested on October 9 were Jorge Luis Perez Garces, Saion Peebles, Timothy Noye, and 65-year-old Paul Joseph Focazio, all taken into custody by the agency’s Special Investigations Unit along the trails and in the parking lot of the D.J. Wilcox Preserve area.
TL;DR: Four men were arrested October 9 in an undercover operation at Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce on charges including exposure of sexual organs, indecent exposure, and battery. One of them, Paul Joseph Focazio, 65, had been arrested at the same preserve just a week earlier on similar charges. The sheriff’s office says undercover operations at the site will continue at undisclosed times.
Who was arrested and what they face
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the men arrested and the charges they face are:
- Jorge Luis Perez Garces — exposure of sexual organs
- Saion Peebles — indecent exposure
- Timothy Noye — battery
- Paul Joseph Focazio — indecent exposure
TCPalm reported that the agency did not describe what each person is accused of doing. The sheriff’s office announced the arrests in an October 10 social media post, writing: “Don’t engage in illegal sexual activity or unwanted sexual contact in public.”
A repeat visit for one suspect
Focazio’s arrest was not his first at the preserve. The 65-year-old was one of two men arrested on October 2 in an earlier operation at D.J. Wilcox Preserve in Fort Pierce on charges of exposure of sexual organs. Both men were taken to the St. Lucie County Jail, TCPalm reported.
That October 2 operation came just four days after the Sheriff’s Office publicly warned about illegal sexual activity at the preserve. After the warning, the agency said detectives would return but did not say when or where. They returned exactly one week later.
A long-running enforcement effort
The preserve, off Old Dixie Highway, has been the site of repeated undercover operations. In November 2025, three men in their 80s were arrested there over two days on charges of exposure of sexual organs, according to TCPalm.
Authorities have made their frustration plain. “We’re running out of ways to explain how not to get arrested in a public park,” Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Capt. Andrew Bolonka said in a Facebook video, according to TCPalm. The beach does have a designated clothing-optional area, but the October 9 operation specifically targeted alleged illegal conduct outside that area, the Sheriff’s Office said.
What happens next
The agency said undercover operations will continue at undisclosed times and locations, meaning detectives could be back at the preserve any day. Anyone charged in the operation is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and the sheriff’s office released no further details about the individual cases.
Frequently asked questions
What is Blind Creek Beach?
Blind Creek Beach is a beach in Fort Pierce, Florida, adjacent to the D.J. Wilcox Preserve off Old Dixie Highway. It includes a designated clothing-optional area, which makes it a popular destination for nude sunbathing in a legal setting.
What is the D.J. Wilcox Preserve?
The D.J. Wilcox Preserve is a public park area in Fort Pierce, Florida, off Old Dixie Highway, encompassing trails, parking areas, and the Blind Creek Beach coastline. It has been the focus of repeated undercover law enforcement operations over illegal sexual activity.
Who was arrested in the October 9 sting?
Four people were arrested: Jorge Luis Perez Garces on a charge of exposure of sexual organs, Saion Peebles on indecent exposure, Timothy Noye on battery, and Paul Joseph Focazio on indecent exposure, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Was anyone arrested more than once?
Yes. Paul Joseph Focazio, 65, was arrested on October 9 and had also been arrested on October 2 in an earlier operation at the same preserve on charges of exposure of sexual organs.
What exactly did the sheriff’s office say?
In its October 10 announcement, the Sheriff’s Office wrote: “Don’t engage in illegal sexual activity or unwanted sexual contact in public.” Spokesperson Capt. Andrew Bolonka added in a Facebook video that the agency was “running out of ways to explain how not to get arrested in a public park.”
Is nudity legal at Blind Creek Beach?
The beach has a designated clothing-optional area where nudity is permitted. The October 9 operation targeted alleged illegal sexual conduct outside that designated area, not legal nude sunbathing.
Has there been trouble at the preserve before?
Yes. In November 2025, three men in their 80s were arrested there over two days on charges of exposure of sexual organs. The October 2 operation came four days after the Sheriff’s Office publicly warned about illegal sexual activity at the preserve.
Will there be more undercover operations?
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said undercover operations will continue at undisclosed times and locations.
Have the men been convicted?
No. The sheriff’s office announced arrests and charges only. Everyone charged is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Featured image: Florida Vacationers
