Man arrested for allegedly trying to lure kids, exposing himself at Aventura condo

A man was arrested after allegedly engaging in repeated lewd conduct with children at the Aventura condo building where he lives, police said.

Steven Gettis, 66, was arrested Thursday on three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child and two counts each of lewd and lascivious exhibition on a child and luring or enticing a child, an arrest report said.

According to the report, the incidents date back to last August and involve children between the ages of 6 and 15 who live in the same building at Aventura's Turnberry Village where Gettis lives.

Miami-Dade Corrections

Miami-Dade Corrections

In the first alleged incident, Gettis approached a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old near the building's pool area and started talking about a scar he has on his groin area, asking them if they wanted to see it, the report said.

The teens didn't respond but Gettis pulled down his pants and exposed himself to show the scar, the report said.

In February, he once again approached the teens in the pool area and started "an unsolicited and inappropriate conversation" about female breasts and vaginas, the report said.

Gettis told the teens "his penis had not expired but he has to beg it to get up (I.E. to obtain an erection)," the report said.

He also pointed to his groin area and said "that little guy can be a predator, if you want it to be," the report said.

The teens ignored Gettis who became "flustered" and told them "I will drag you out of the pool," the report said.

Building security eventually approached and told Gettis to leave the teens alone.

In another incident, Gettis approached two 11-year-old boys who were playing pickleball in the building's gym and asked for their phone number, the report said.

The boys refused and Gettis started recording them without their consent, telling them he was going to send the video to his kids, the report said.

While recording them, Gettis asked several person questions, including their names and what school they attend, the report said.

At one point, Gettis started playing pickleball with them and after the ball hit his leg, he pointed to his genitals and said "thank God, it didn't hit me in the balls" then lifted his pants to expose the scar near his groin while cupping his genitals with his hand, the report said.

Gettis told the boys he was ordering pizza and invited them to his place to have fun, telling them they didn't have to tell their parents and it could be their secret, the report said.

The boys got scared and ran home to report the incident to their parents.

In another incident in February, Gettis approached a 12-year-old girl who was playing with friends in the gym and told them he owns a dance studio and is a dance teacher.

He offered to assist the kids with doing cartwheels, and the 12-year-old was afraid to decline, the report said.

Gettis touched her leg and lower back, which was witnessed by another parents, and asked her about her daily routine, the report said.

In another incident, Gettis approached a 6-year-old and 9-year-old in the gym and placed his hand on the 9-year-old's lower back to help her do a backflip, the report said.

He walked away but returned and again placed his hand on her lower back near her buttocks and grasped her upper thigh to assist her with a backflip, the report said.

Gettis later placed both his hands on the 6-year-old's waist, which was caught on a surveillance camera, the report said.

"I believe based on training and experience, and by conferring with other investigators, that the defendant's actions were lewd or lascivious in nature. The defendant lowered his pants to expose his penis/scrotum/genital area to obtain sexual gratification under the guise of showing the victims a scar," an officer wrote in the report. "The investigation revealed the defendant had a pattern of behavior where he demonstrated a proclivity toward children when the victims were in a child safety area but away from their parents' custody."

Gettis was arrested and booked into jail. He appeared before a judge on Friday who set his bond at $51,000.

The judge also issued a stay away order from the condominium, so Gettis is not allowed to go back home, but he has 48 hours to go gather his stuff and must be escorted by a police officer.