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Posted on 07/11/2026 12:34:28 PM PDT by DFG
Polk County deputies arrested a 62-year-old man who they say exposed himself to a 5-year-old child inside a Mulberry Walmart after a Crime Stoppers tip ended a two-day search.
Walmart incident
What we know: According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a mother and her 5-year-old daughter were grocery shopping during the day at a Walmart in Mulberry when a man followed them.
Sheriff Grady Judd stated, "This is a sick guy and he's dangerous."
Judd noted that surveillance footage captured the man tracking the family through the business.
"On Monday afternoon, past, he is a sexual predator in a Walmart sexually exposing himself to a five-year-old little baby and then masturbating in the store in the middle of the day," Judd said. "This guy is a deviant. This guy needs to be locked up for a long period of time."
Deputies said the man held a box of straws to try to cover himself, but he began touching himself after walking past them. The child's mother did not see the act until a store employee informed her and notified a supervisor.
A Crime Stoppers tip led deputies to a Lakeland home after a two-day search to arrest 62-year-old David Hicks.
"When we knocked on his front door after receiving the tip, he looked my deputies and detectives in the eye and said, ‘I know why you're here. I want a lawyer.' He wouldn't talk," Judd explained.
Hicks is charged with felony counts of indecent exposure, exposure of sexual organs, and lewd exhibition in front of a child.
Authorities revealed Hicks has a history of prior arrests for indecent exposure and child molestation in Florida and two other states.
Judd noted Hicks is the younger brother of Tom Hicks, a Central Florida professional Santa Claus arrested in April during a child predator operation.
Regarding the siblings, Judd stated, "You're talking about a family affair. Both of these people are child sexual deviants."
Both men remain in custody following the separate investigations.
"Santa Claus' brother is this guy, and now we got them both locked up in jail. I just hope there are no more brothers," Judd said.
Suspect criminal history The backstory: During a press conference, Sheriff Judd detailed Hicks' extensive history of prior arrests:
1991: Arrested in South Carolina for indecent exposure and paid a fine.
1992: Arrested in Georgia, though there is no disposition on record for that case.
1996: Arrested in Escambia County and sentenced to three months in jail for indecent exposure.
1998: Charged with two counts of child molestation in Georgia, where adjudication was withheld and he received five years of probation.
Missing investigation details What we don't know: Officials have not yet confirmed the specific legal dispositions or full trial outcomes for all of Hicks' historical cases outside of the sentences provided by investigators. It remains unclear if any additional victims have formally pressed charges as detectives expand their investigation.
Ongoing investigation What's next: Judd said since putting the information out there, deputies are investigating at least one other incident involving David Hicks.
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62 years old! I saw that and thought this guy must have a history of doing this!
Not his first arrest. Won’t be his last.
He’ll be sitting on other guy’ses knees for a change.
Not the same but in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan, they pulled up and removed all "Neighborhood Watch" signs and disbanded the groups. It was said to be discouraging to immigrants and people of color who felt singled out and uncomfortable.
May, 2026. 600 signs removed by work crews. City Council allocated $18,000 for the citywide project, concluding with a ceremonial removal by the Mayor and Council on Princeton Avenue.
Kinda makes you wonder what when on during their childhood?
Woke university town. Just damn.
Hicks brothers........ child predators.
Yeah, this sort of deviancy tends to run in families, handed down — taught — from one generation to the next.
Florida Man ping.......
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