Titusville police say they have arrested Florida State Rep. Robert
"Bob" Allen, of Merritt Island, on second degree misdemeanor charges
for solicitation for prostitution.
Allen, 48, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at Veteran's Memorial Park on East Broad Street in Titusville.
The park was under surveillance by a detail of undercover police
officers.
Officers say they noticed Allen acting suspicious as he went in and
out of the men's restroom 3 times.
Minutes later, he solicited an undercover male officer inside the
restroom, offering to perform oral sex for $20.
In a taped statement and other documents released last week, Allen, 48, told police that he was intimidated into offering sex.
"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," the Orlando Sentinel quoted him as saying.
Rather, he said, "This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen said. He said he feared he "was about to be a statistic."
Titusville police told the Sentinel that they were investigating a nearby condo burglary when they saw a disheveled, unshaved man enter and leave the park restroom three times. They decided to send in Officer Danny Kavanaugh.
In a statement Kavanaugh said he was drying his hands in a stall when Allen peered—twice—over the stall door, then joined Kavanaugh inside.
"This is kind of a public place, isn't it?" Kavanaugh quoted Allen as saying, according to the Sentinel. Allen then suggested "going across the bridge; it's quieter over there."
When Allen was loaded into the patrol car, the statement said, he asked if "it would help" that he was a state legislator.
"No," the officer said.
Allen, a Republican, represents District 32 of the State House of
Representatives.
The district spans parts of Brevard and Orange counties.
Allen was first elected to the office in 2000.
In March of 2007, he co-sponsored an unsuccessful bill that would have enhanced penalties for "offenses involving unnatural and lascivious acts," such as indecent exposure.
And be sure to check out his recreational interests below....
--------------------B I O----------------------
Rep. Bob Allen
District 32 Republican
Councils/Committee Membership
Committee on Energy Chair
Environment & Natural Resources Council
City of Residence: Merritt Island
Occupation: Economic Development/Education
Spouse: Beth Elaine Allen
Child(ren): Tia
Education: Valencia Community College, A.A.
Religious Affiliation: Protestant
Recreational Interest: Water sports
Legislative Service
Elected to the House in 2000, reelected subsequently.
Highlights
Enterprise Florida, Board of Directors
Speaker Appointments: Florida Space Authority
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