SARASOTA, Fla. – Fredrick Piccolo Jr., a former New College of Florida employee and one-time spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis, has been arrested for exposing himself multiple times to women across Manatee and Sarasota counties, according to arrest records.
The most recent incident occurred on March 28, 2025, when Piccolo allegedly approached a woman on a walk, asked her for directions, and claimed to be fleeing a personal crisis. According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), he later returned fully nude, touching himself inappropriately while asking her to repeat the directions.
The arrest follows three prior incidents from 2024 at the University Town Center Mall in Sarasota:
In one case, Piccolo allegedly exposed himself inside a Banana Republic fitting room, wearing a pulled-down bathing suit and engaging in lewd behavior.
On September 3, he reportedly got fully naked in a Dillard’s dressing room, making no effort to cover himself in front of a sales associate. When she asked a co-worker to help, Piccolo exposed himself to her as well.
On September 4, a third Dillard’s employee said Piccolo again entered a fitting room nude, making her uncomfortable before dressing and leaving.
While Piccolo left the first two stores without making a purchase, security footage shows he bought clothes during the third incident.
He was arrested at his Lakewood Ranch home on March 2 and charged with exposure of sexual organs in Manatee County. He also faces three active charges in Sarasota County for intentional indecent exposure.
In a statement to FOX 13, New College of Florida confirmed that Piccolo is no longer employed at the institution, but declined to provide further details. Efforts to contact Governor DeSantis’ office for comment have so far gone unanswered.
