A cruise ship crew member was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the production of child pornography. According to a statement from NBC Miami, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, while employed by Royal Caribbean Group, installed hidden cameras in guests' bathrooms aboard the Symphony of the Seas.
Mirasol, a Philippine citizen, was caught when a guest reported finding a hidden camera in their bathroom on February 25, an action prompted by ship security to detain him. It wasn't until docking at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on March 3 that Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection officials boarded and initiated an investigation, leading to his arrest. Caught up in such terrible acts, Mirasol’s electronic devices were found containing numerous videos focusing on children's genital areas, some showing him installing the devices himself, as reported by a Local10 news release.
The children victimized ranged between 2 and 17 years old. The Broward Sheriff's Office said their Special Victims Unit, alongside Homeland Security Investigations agents, is trying to identify more potential victims. The extent of the devastation caused by Mirasol's actions has not yet fully unfolded; he had been secretly installing cameras and recording passengers since December 2023.
A further disturbing discovery was that Mirasol entered guests' rooms while they were showering to hide under their beds, recording them as they exited the shower. During the investigation, Mirasol admitted to his inability to control the impulse, saying, "I want to control it, but I can't," as reported by Local10. In what served as a horrifying selection process, Mirasol chose his victims by stating, "If I like who is in that room, I place it," targeting teenage girls aged 16 and over, adding further layers to the crime he perpetrated.
Following the trail of evidence, videos on Mirasol's USB stick included "numerous videos of naked females undressing in the bathroom as well as videos of child pornography," as mentioned in a report by Local10. As a response to the severity of these offenses, Royal Caribbean has terminated Mirasol's employment. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to suspected crimes on cruise ships, including sexual abuse and child pornography offenses, to contact the HSI tip line at 1-866-347-2423.
