Hidden cameras tucked inside the Park Avenue restroom at Barnie's Coffee & Tea have jolted downtown Winter Park, turning a neighborhood coffee staple into the center of a disturbing voyeurism investigation. Police say the devices were planted over several days and that a suspect is now in custody, with investigators working through dozens of images that appear to show men, women, and children.
According to ClickOrlando, detectives located hidden cameras at Barnie's on March 22, March 25 and April 28, and later arrested 27-year-old Nicolas Sebastian Esparza on a charge of digital voyeurism. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Esparza placing at least one device inside the restroom, and investigators say a recovered memory card contained video of 18 people. Barnie's management told the station it would defer to law enforcement, while Barry University said it is aware of an off-campus incident involving a law student and is cooperating with investigators.
For regulars, the case is more than unsettling. “I think it's disgusting and appalling that in this day and age you have to be careful, to be leery of the bathrooms you use,” customer Niki Estrada told ClickOrlando. Another patron told the outlet that business owners should be doing more to guard against hidden cameras in restrooms.
How Florida Law Treats Secret Recordings
Florida’s video-voyeurism statute, outlined by the Florida Senate, makes it a crime to install or use an imaging device to secretly record someone in a place where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. When an adult secretly records in a private location, the offense is treated as a third-degree felony, with tougher penalties if a child is involved or the offender has prior convictions. The law also carves out narrow exceptions for law enforcement activity and clearly posted security systems.
Who To Contact And What Investigators Say
Winter Park police are urging anyone who thinks they might have been recorded, or who has information about the case, to reach out to the department’s investigations unit. The city’s police webpages list phone numbers and online tip forms that can be used to share evidence or leads, and detectives say additional tips could help uncover more devices or footage.
A Wider Problem And Business Responsibilities
Cases involving hidden cameras in public bathrooms have popped up across Florida in recent years, leading to heightened concern among both business owners and law enforcement. Hoodline previously covered a related incident in which a Hialeah man was charged after a hidden camera was discovered in a business restroom. Experts recommend routine restroom checks by staff, clear signage, and occasional counter-surveillance sweeps to cut down on the chances that covert devices will go unnoticed.
