Fellsmere police charged a 36-year-old man Monday for video voyeurism after a woman allegedly found a camera concealed in a car wax box in the bathroom of the man’s home. According to police, the footage on the camera showed an underage girl undressing at least four different times.
According to the arrest affidavit, the box had a hole cut out with the camera aimed in front of the shower. The man allegedly confessed to police that he set up the camera because he was attempting to catch the girl using drugs.
The man was detained at the Indian River County Jail on a bond of $2,500. According to the jail, he was also being held for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Under previous Florida law, video voyeurism was a misdemeanor offense that could be upgraded to a felony offense only after a second offense was committed. However, a state bill passed in 2008 officially bumped up video voyeurism on the crime spectrum to a third degree felony sex offender crime. This bill was passed to protect minors from possible sex offenders and aims to target individuals over the age of 18 who commit video voyeurism against children under the age of 16 that are in their care, individuals over the age of 24 who commit the crime against children under the age of 16 and individuals over the age of 18 who are employed by a school and commit video voyeurism against a student.
Florida’s state law makes it illegal to watch, film or photograph a person in a private space without their consent. A “private space” can be a bathroom, locker room or any other designated space that someone can undress without the worry of someone watching them.
If you have been charged with video voyeurism involving a person of any age in the state of Florida, contact the Florida Sex Crimes Defense Lawyers online or call us toll-free at 866-608-5529.