LAKELAND, FL – A man with a troubling criminal history was arrested Thursday after allegedly groping a teenager at a Chick-fil-A in Lakeland. The incident occurred when the 16-year-old girl was peacefully doing her homework inside the restaurant. Authorities are concerned there may be additional victims.
The 57-year-old suspect, identified as Basta, reportedly sat behind the teenager and began to touch her over her clothes. The girl confronted him after noticing his hand, prompting her to alert the authorities. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office quickly intervened.
Sheriff Grady Judd expressed his concerns, emphasizing the suspect’s dangerous nature. “This is a scary, dangerous, ugly man,” Judd stated. Basta’s criminal record reveals a disturbing pattern of similar behavior, both in Polk County and in Tennessee.
Basta was recently released from prison in mid-October and has since been implicated in at least two other incidents of inappropriate conduct. His criminal history includes three arrests in Tennessee, in addition to his past offenses in Polk County.
Court documents detail Basta’s repeated offenses, including a 2015 incident where he allegedly touched a girl in a restaurant. Last year, a similar accusation arose from an encounter at a Starbucks in Lakeland, underscoring a concerning pattern of behavior.
The authorities are urging anyone who may have had similar encounters with Basta to come forward. Given his history, deputies suspect there could be more victims who have yet to report their experiences.
Parents and residents in the area are understandably alarmed, questioning the safety of public spaces for their children. “Kids can’t even go to a place to eat without worrying,” one concerned parent remarked.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring Basta remains behind bars, especially during the holiday season, to prevent further incidents and protect the community.
While the investigation continues, the community is left grappling with the unsettling reality of Basta’s actions and the potential for more victims to emerge.