PALM COAST, FL – A 64-year-old Bunnell man wanted in connection to the assault/battery of a minor that occurred over the weekend was arrested for assaulting a health care provider on New Year’s Day and then identified as the attacker in the earlier case.
After being booked into the Green Roof Inn on the assault charge, an analyst with Flagler County Sheriff’s Office made the connection to the Child Abuse and Battery case from earlier last weekend. During an interview with a detective at the detention facility, Goldstein confessed to the child abuse at Walmart and said he did it due to “sexual frustration.”
Robert Elliot Goldstein, a resident of Bunnell, was arrested at approximately 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 1, 2024, for assaulting a health care provider at Advent Health in Palm Coast. Goldstein had entered a restricted area of the hospital and when approached by a medical professional to assist him back to the emergency department for medical assistance, he grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. He continued to get physical with other members of the staff before deputies arrived and arrested him. He was also trespassed from the hospital.
On Friday, December 28, Flagler County Deputies responded to Walmart in Palm Coast after a male, later identified as Goldstein, walked towards an 11-year-old girl that was out shopping with her mother and proceeded to stroke the top of her head and run his hands down her shoulders. As the girl stared at him in shock, he bolted for the exit holding a pair of jeans and a plastic bag. CCTV footage from Walmart captured the man exiting the store and this image was shared widely on social media, but no one identified the man as Goldstein until he arrived at the Green Roof Inn.
Goldstein has no prior criminal history in Flagler County and was not on a sex offender registry, but his pattern of behavior is escalating in boldness making him a serious threat to women and young children within the community.
“This disgusting pervert is off the streets and taking up residence at the Green Roof Inn,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “This is a textbook example on how sex offenders escalate and become much more serious offenders. I commend the child’s parent for reporting the initial incident at Walmart and I commend our team for recognizing him so we could get him off the streets before he could attack a young child or another female. This is likely not his first offense so we’re asking anyone in the community to contact us with information on any prior interactions with him. You can call 386-313-4911 or email tips@flaglersheriff.com.”
