A Greenville County man found himself on the wrong side of the law after a deputy spotted him sunbathing without clothing in his own backyard in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. According to sources, the incident leading to an indecent exposure arrest.
John Sullivan is no stranger to outdoor fitness. Following an accident, his doctor recommended that he exercise and spend time outdoors as part of his recovery. For Sullivan, that meant working out and soaking up the South Carolina sun at his property, sometimes in a thong and other times wearing nothing at all. His rationale goes well beyond simple comfort.
“When a male lays out in the sun in the n*de, his testosterone levels go up about 400 times,” he explained. As far as Sullivan is concerned, “Laying out in the sun, even in the n*de, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
On March 13, a Greenville County deputy arrived at Sullivan’s property and, according to the arrest report, could clearly see Sullivan through the fence bordering his yard. Sullivan was taken into custody and charged with indecent exposure.
Greenville County attorney and former federal prosecutor Beattie Ashmore, who has handled a similar case in the past, broke down what South Carolina law actually says on the matter.
“It’s a statute that actually carries some teeth, let’s say coercion statute, indecent exposure carries up to three years and could land you on the sex offender registry,” Ashmore said.
At the same time, Ashmore noted that the law does not outright bar people from being unclothed on their own land. “You’re free to do what you care to do on your property, to include sunbathing in the n*de. The problem comes if the general public can see you. And so, then the question becomes, are they going out of their way to view you? Have you taken preventative measures to keep others, you know, the public driving by, and or neighbors from seeing you?”
That last question cuts to the core of Sullivan’s situation. His property is bordered by fencing that stands roughly eight feet tall on one side, while the other portion consists of chain link with slats.
When a WYFF News 4 reporter asked Sullivan whether he had considered replacing that section with something more enclosed, he acknowledged the thought but pointed straight to the price tag. “I considered everything under the sun at any time, but this right here is $12,000,” he said.
As for what may have motivated a neighbor or passerby to report him in the first place, Sullivan has his own perspective. “I think people look over here at a beautiful buff bull of alpha male living a wonderful life from a car garage with a porch built on it. And they see something they want to destroy, just like everybody else who sees beautiful people doing beautiful things with a beautiful life,” he said.
The case is scheduled to be heard in court this May.
