Man arrested for lewd behavior on Siesta Beach

Joshua Anthony McClure

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 41-year-old man for displaying lewd conduct in front of young children on Siesta Key Beach today, July 17.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, a law enforcement officer visiting from Indiana saw Joshua Anthony McClure expose himself and masturbate while sitting on the beach. The witness said McClure was about 10 feet away, in plain sight of him and four young girls ranging in age from 5 to 16, when the incident occurred, the report says.

The group with the witness included other adults along with the children, the report adds.

The complainant walked over to the suspect, showed him his law enforcement badge and told him to stop, the report says. Then the man left the area on a bicycle, the report said.

The incident was reported at 12:49 p.m.

Deputies located McClure near the intersection of Midnight Pass Road and Stickney Point Road, and witnesses identified him as the suspect, the report says. McClure was arrested at 1:40 p.m., according to the report.

McClure, who does not have a current permanent address, is charged with four felony counts of lewd or lascivious exhibition. He was booked into Sarasota County Jail, where he is being held on $40,000 bond.