VERO BEACH – On Tuesday, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office responded to an indecent act call at Wabasso Beach involving an older man making inappropriate comments and taking photos of a female in a bikini.
Deputies made contact with Edward Butler, 58, who was visiting Vero Beach from Washington. Butler was also in possession of an open container of alcohol.
After running his name, Deputies learned that Butler had an active felony warrant out of Washington for failure to register as a sex offender.
When asked if he was a sex offender, Butler states, “Yes! I suuuuure am,” according to the report.
Butler was convicted and adjudicated guilty 4 times as a sexual offender in Alaska. Butler admitted that he was found guilty as a sex offender in 2005 and 2009.
According to the timeline given by Butler, he left Washington to go on “vacation” last month and has visited his step-sister Deborah Adkins in Fort Walton Beach for a couple of days. After that, he went to Destin and Ocala before residing at Middleton’s Fish Camp in Vero Beach.
Adkins, the step-sister, said Butler visited her and left for the Daytona Bike Week where he was “partying with bikers.” When Deputies told Adkins about what Butler was doing on the beach, she said he was a “dirty old dude,” the report said.
Atkins stated that Butler should not be trusted around money, drugs, pills, or children.
“At this time, it is unclear how long this sexual offender has been in Florida. Butler told our detective that he has been in Daytona, Fort Walton Beach, and other parts of Florida. We know he has been in our county for at least three days. If anyone has had contact with him, we ask that you contact Detective Olson,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar stated.
Butler was arrested and transported to the Indian River County Jail in Vero Beach where he was charged with failing to register as a felony sex offender and local ordinance possession of an alcoholic beverage in public.
Bond set at $10,500.00.