OKEECHOBEE — A 44-year-old Okeechobee man was arrested Sunday afternoon on charges that he was intoxicated, confrontational and exposing himself to three women and one man in an RV park.
Shawn Mathew Pyper, 44, Southeast 32nd Avenue, Okeechobee, was arrested Aug. 19 on a felony charge of battery on person 65 years of age or older and misdemeanor charges of four counts of disorderly intoxication, four counts of exposure of sexual organs and three counts of battery.
Shawn Mathew Pyper, 44
His bond was set at $9,000 and he has since been released on bond.
According to an arrest report by Deputy Devon Satallante, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), at 6:19 p.m. on Aug. 19, he responded to Gracious RV Park, located in the 6500 block of U.S. 441 Southeast, in regards to a battery complaint.
Upon his arrival he reportedly saw two men holding an individual on the ground, later identified as Pyper. Pyper was placed in the back of Deputy Satallante’s patrol vehicle who also reported that the odor of alcohol emitted from Pyper’s breath. Deputy Satallante then met with the four alleged victims.
The first, a female, told deputies that she saw Pyper lying on the ground in front of someone’s trailer and when she approached Pyper, she could tell that he was highly intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance. Pyper then supposedly stood up, approached the woman and began to use profanity towards her in close proximity. It was at this time that a neighbor walked over to the pair due to her hearing yelling outside of her trailer.
The report stated that as the two women were standing with Pyper he supposedly shoved them. After seeing Pyper apparently push the two women, a third neighbor, stepped out of her trailer and confronted Pyper, which reportedly resulted in her being shoved as well.
A fourth individual, approached Pyper – after seeing him supposedly push the three women – and confronted him about his interaction with them. Pyper then apparently continued to use profanity and hit the man across the left side of his face with an open hand. The man then struck Pyper back in self defense and another neighbor ran over to help hold Pyper down until the arrival of law enforcement.
The report concluded that the four victims stated during their initial contact with Pyper that he would supposedly pull his pants down and expose himself to them. The three women informed they would like to pursue criminal charges, completed and signed sworn witness statements. The man who was struck by Pyper reportedly did not wish to seek criminal charges completed and signed a waiver of prosecution. The redness on the man’s face was photographed and submitted into evidence. All parties were provided an agency business card with Deputy Satallante’s contact information and victims’ rights packets. Pyper was arrested, transported and booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on the aforementioned charges.