High school star athlete arrested for public nudity

Police in Naples, FL, arrested a 18-year old Robbie Anthony Rakoski for being naked with a half-naked female companion early Saturday morning. Police found the pair at Ninth Avenue South and Gulf Shore Boulevard just after 2:00 AM after a witness reported seeing them driving north.

According to arrest reports, police charged Rakowski with indecent exposure in public ($1,000 bond) as well as the more serious lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim less than 16 years old ($5,000 bond).

A star athlete at Lely High, Rakowski had already signed to play football at Concordia College in the fall.

When the story was reported on NaplesNews.com on the weekend, the post originally displayed several reader comments in support of Rakowski, noting that his age was not very different from his female companion and criticizing the arrest for relatively normal behavior so near a beach. Perhaps for legal reasons, the site has since removed all comments and disabled further commenting.

Unlike many reported cases of public nudity, there is no indication of any intoxication or drug use. Just simple nudity at a time of night when few would normally be around to be offended. Although Rakoski's companion was under age 16, she was apparently not much younger than him and there is no reported indication of coercion or fowl play.

Nakedism cannot help but wonder what possible public value is achieved by criminalizing such simple, arguably wholesome, behavior.

Note: Photo is for illustration purposes only and does not depict the reported events.