BOYNTON BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Port St. Lucie man is behind bars after Boynton Beach police say he traveled to a local park expecting to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex. Robert Zdanowski, 59, was arrested Thursday afternoon at Intracoastal Park after an undercover investigation that began on the messaging app Grindr. Investigators say the encounter was the culmination of weeks of sexually explicit messages where Zdanowski repeatedly acknowledged he was speaking with a minor.
According to a probable cause affidavit, an undercover detective posing as a teenager first connected with Zdanowski on Dec. 30. The conversation eventually moved to WhatsApp, where the detective explicitly told Zdanowski he was 15 years old and still in school. Police report that despite knowing the boy’s age, Zdanowski continued to solicit him for graphic sexual acts and coordinated a time to pick him up and take him to a hotel.
The situation came to a head around 3:10 p.m. on Jan. 15 when Zdanowski arrived at the park, located at 138 Harbors Way. Officers moved in immediately to take him into custody. During a search following his arrest, police say they found condoms in his pocket along with a tube containing five Alprazolam pills, commonly known as Xanax. While Zdanowski claimed the pills were prescribed, investigators noted he had no proof to back up that claim.
Zdanowski now faces several serious charges, including traveling to meet a minor, solicitation of a minor to engage in sexual conduct, and possession of a controlled substance. He also faces a charge for the unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Following his arrest, police say he provided a sworn statement confessing to the online contact and admitting he went to the park specifically to meet the child for sex.
