Sanford man arrested after indecent exposure at Walmart store

Sanford police arrested a 21-year-old man after employees at the Walmart on South Orlando Drive said he exposed himself inside the store and made shoppers and staff uneasy during a routine day of shopping. The suspect, Tyrese Jackson, was booked into the Seminole County jail on one count of indecent exposure and was being held without bond.

Police said women inside the store first alerted staff that a man had been walking around the women’s and men’s clothing areas in a way that made them uncomfortable. A loss-prevention worker later spotted him exposing himself and touching himself in the men’s department, according to the report. Jackson left before officers arrived, but he came back a few hours later, and employees detained him until police returned to the scene.

During an interview with detectives, Jackson said he had gone to Walmart because he needed boxers. Police said he admitted to the conduct and told officers he did not know why he did it. He also told them he had recently lost his job, was depressed and was bored.

The arrest landed in a busy retail stretch that many Sanford residents use every day for errands, school shopping and workday stops. Sanford police previously investigated a similar exposure allegation at the Walmart at 3653 South Orlando Drive in December 2023, when officers sought help identifying a man accused of exposing himself to a female employee after asking about merchandise. That earlier case, along with the newest arrest, has turned the same store into a point of concern for people who expect a public shopping trip to feel ordinary and safe.

Under Florida law, exposure of sexual organs in public is covered by section 800.03. A first violation is generally a first-degree misdemeanor, while a second or subsequent violation can be charged as a third-degree felony. Sanford police say their mission is to work with the community to preserve peace, reduce fear and provide a safe environment, a standard that applies just as much to a crowded retail aisle as it does to any other public space in the city.