Tampabay: Assistant state attorney charged in sex bust

LARGO — A Pinellas-Pasco assistant state attorney was one of nine men charged with exposure of sexual organs last month after undercover Largo police officers spent three days targeting men who went to park bathrooms to meet other men for sexual activity, officials said.

Fred Andrew Taylor, 36, resigned from the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office on Nov. 15, a day after he was charged, said Kendall Davidson, county court division director. He had been with the office for about a year.

"Prior to the incident he had been a very professional and skilled attorney with our office," Davidson said.

Although all the city parks were monitored, Owens said all the arrests were made at Taylor Park at 1100 Eighth Ave. SW.

"Most of the time they don't even know the person," said Officer Rick Owens. "They just show up in the restroom exposing themselves."

The other eight men were identified by police as Robert George Dreslin IV, 30; Robert Dwayne Weyant, 43; Francis Edward Deller, 61; Darryl Lee Delisle, 46; Terry Cecil Dyer, 59; Steven Thomas Izzo, 61; William Luther Knight, 39; and Robert Roy Whittle, 27.

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by Derrod	09/18/07 09:36 PM
the worst part is that i live around the corner from taylor park were Mr. Dreslin was caught i ment 2 say largo last time but my school is in clearwater

by Derrod	09/18/07 09:31 PM
He was a teacher at my school last year i still go there i was in 7th grade at the time everybody was talking about it

by austin	12/08/06 03:48 PM
To make this story even better. Robert George Dreslin was a school teacher at Oak Grove MIddle school last year. How I know this, he was my teacher two years ago. It makes u think, how safe your children are at school? But Dreslin was a good teacher.

by austin	12/08/06 03:35 PM
Robert George Dreslin was a school teacher a oakgrove middle school in clearwater last year. How i know this is he was my teacher 2 years ago

by Alex	12/08/06 02:43 PM
One of these men teaches/ taught at oak grove middle I dont know about now, but my brother had him.

by Larry	12/02/06 01:55 PM
On the same day I read about a man being charged with a crime because a cop asked him to expose his genitals, AND about Britney Spears boosting her career by exposing HER genitals, unasked, and uncharged with any crime. What gives?

by Mary	12/02/06 01:47 PM
We were having my son's 9th birthday party in a local park. He and his friends were walking in the woodsy part of the park and encountered some old doofus masturbating and asked the boys to join in. (They usually bust them in the toilets.)

by Howard	12/02/06 09:34 AM
It doesn't sound like there were any kids there. But - why is it always, "what if your kid saw it?" What do you do when your kid sees a man and woman lying together and kissing on a blanket in the park in broad daylight? Toss a blanket over them?

by Al	12/02/06 08:27 AM
No one said these guys were looking to molest children, but a kid at the park shouldn't have to witness public sex .. hetero or homosexual .... keep up the stings

by joey	12/02/06 07:54 AM
Me thinks thou doest protesteth too much. Who would defend the indefensible except those guilty of such shame? Keep your private behavior out of our PUBLIC bathrooms!

by Mike	12/02/06 07:47 AM
With the way that drugs are out of control in the Tampa Bay Area I vote they go after the dealers. These men were NOT going after children. And any adult that would let a "little" boy roam free in the park needs to be arrested.

by Michael	12/02/06 07:19 AM
Like he is going to be prosecuted, gimme a break

by Bud	12/02/06 06:27 AM
Priests, school teachers,assistant SAO and on and on. Alisa is right which is a warning to parents, no place is safe and who is your friend. Rick of La La land, where do you think child predators hang out for their sordid life? Everywhere!!

by tom	12/02/06 03:32 AM
As usual the police undercover seem to target gays. I often wonder if they pass heterosexual couples engaging in sex in their cars on the way to bust the gays.

by Scott	12/01/06 09:58 PM
This is no more than court-condoned entrapment. Someone needs to pull a sting on these officers to find out how they "catch" so many people in these restrooms. They use their bodies in very unprofessional ways to lure their prey.

by Bernie	12/01/06 08:36 PM
The police are doing their jobs busting perverts in the bathroom, what if it was you kid in there, Rick?

by Bonnie	12/01/06 08:13 PM
I am surprised this guy was so stupid, if the general public knows about these stings why in the world didn't he. Idiot and pervert wrapped up in one!

by Rocco	12/01/06 07:53 PM
It's about time someone from McCabe's office get there due.That office is one of the most aggressive in prosecuting the poor on trumped up bs to generate fines etc.That if the poor could afford a decent atty would be found not due.Good riddance.

by Frank	12/01/06 05:43 PM
Alisa, they were men soliciting men, not men looking for children to molest. I agre with Rick, the police have better things to concern themselves with

by Kathy	12/01/06 04:56 PM
Does anyone know if any of these men are employed by the School system? A name looks very familier.

by Robert	12/01/06 04:49 PM
Ditto to Alisa, and get out of the bathrooms Rick, if you don't like getting caught.

by TJ	12/01/06 03:42 PM
Rick, you're way off base on this one. Perversion at a public park cannot be allowed. Parks are for kids and families, not gay men looking for a thrill.

by Alisa	12/01/06 03:19 PM
The police are doing their jobs. What if you little boy had walked in to one of those restrooms. I appreciate the job that they are doing.

by Tom	12/01/06 02:44 PM
In this day and age do people strill have to go to public places for this sort of thing?

by Rick	12/01/06 02:14 PM
This is a ridiculous waste of police resources to be setting up these kind of stings. Don't they have real crimes to solve?

by Gilbert	12/01/06 11:49 AM
I sure hope State's Attorney McCabe has took a long look at the cases Mr. Taylor prosecuted while assigned. I sure smell appeals coming. He should be prosecuted like anyone else would be. Lets not forget the presumption of innocence.

Assistant state attorney charged in sex bust

Early edition: Fred Taylor, 36, was one of nine men charged with exposure of sexual organs after Largo police targeted men meeting in public restrooms for sex.