Two Port Charlotte men have been arrested on Battery charges within a week of each other during two separate undercover operations at Kiwanis Park.
On Tuesday, detectives arrested Alfred Thomas Carreiro, 62, of 2064 Doria Street in Port Charlotte after he allegedly grabbed the undercover detective in the groin. Last Monday June 17, Michael Lawrence McGrael, 66, of 19505 Quesada Avenue in Port Charlotte was arrested under similar circumstances.
In Tuesday’s incident, detectives from the Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Unit set up an undercover operation at Kiwanis Park at 501 Donora Street in Port Charlotte to look for illegal sexual activity as a result of complaints received by area residents. An undercover detective was approached by Carreiro with whom he made casual conversation.
Carreiro asked the detective to go with him for a walk to a more secluded area of the park. During the walk, he asked if the detective wanted to engage in oral sex. When the detective told Carreiro he wasn’t sure, they continued to walk through the park to an even more secluded area. Carreiro suddenly reached out and grabbed the detective in the groin.
The undercover detective signaled to other members of the Narcotics Unit to move in and Carreiro was placed under arrest for Battery since he had allegedly grabbed the detective against his will. Carreiro was transported to the Charlotte County Jail where he was being held without bond pending his First Appearance hearing this morning.
Last week, during a similar operation, an undercover detective was approached by McGrael at Kiwanis Park. They made casual conversation while McGrael led the detective to a secluded area of the park. At one point McGrael asked the detective if the location looked like a good place for a particular type of sexual arousal and reached out to grab the detective in the groin.
McGrael was also initially held without bond until his First Appearance hearing, where he entered a plea on the Battery charge. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail and six months probation.