Man claiming to be Bob Marley arrested for indecent exposure

MEADOW LAKES — A Big Lake man was jailed Saturday for masturbating in public and attempting to impersonate a famous dead reggae musician.

According to court documents Alaska State Trooper Ryan Anderson filed in court against Brent O. Ladd, 24, troopers were summoned to Randall Road — a short stretch connecting to the Parks Highway and ending at Blodgett Lake outside of Wasilla — at 5:01 p.m.

A witness reported seeing a man on the side of the road with his pants down, apparently masturbating.

“(The witness) stated his 4-year-old daughter was in the vehicle and may have seen the male masturbating,” according to Anderson’s affidavit.

After being spotted, the man took off into the woods, Anderson wrote. Troopers arrived on scene and followed footprints in the snow to a nearby cabin where they found a man walking around there who matched the description from witnesses.

“The male originally identified himself as ‘Bob.’ I told ‘Bob’ that I was investigating a male who was masturbating in public,” Anderson wrote. “‘Bob’ acknowledged masturbating in public. I asked him for his full name and he stated, ‘Bob Marley.’ I advised him that he did not appear to be ‘Bob Marley’ and he should give me a correct name or he will be arrested as ‘John Doe.’”

One more fake name and the man eventually told Anderson his real name — Brent Ladd.

Ladd was arrested for disorderly conduct, indecent exposure and failing to identify himself to troopers. At his first court appearance Sunday his bail was set at $1,000. As of Monday afternoon he’d made bail and been released.

Ladd has a few entries in court databases, the most serious being a drunken driving charge.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.