Franco Ilus, 44, was arrested after allegations that he used a cellphone to secretly photograph women at a Royal Palm Beach Publix. He faces felony charges. The allegations include an incident involving a shopper who was in the store with her two children.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office responded to the Publix on Southern Boulevard on Wednesday evening, October 7, after reports of the incident, according to CBS12. The station reported that investigators said Ilus covertly photographed women in the store. Surveillance video reportedly showed him photographing one shopper's buttocks while she was looking at food with her children nearby.
A Second Victim Confronts Him in the Aisle
CBS12 reported that investigators also alleged Ilus approached a second shopper near a cooler and positioned his phone beneath her dress while appearing to use it. The woman initially thought he might have dropped the device, but the station said the action was repeated.
The second shopper then challenged Ilus, according to the station's account, drawing the attention of other customers. He allegedly left for a 2001 tan Lincoln Town Car with a broken passenger-side headlight.
Victim Reported the Incident and Later Identified Ilus
The shopper reported the incident to Publix management and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, gave a sworn statement and said she wanted to prosecute, CBS12 reported. She later identified Ilus in a photo lineup, according to the station.
Court records show Ilus faces felony charges of digital voyeurism by an adult and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, CBS12 reported. An arrest listing from palmbeachfl.mugshots.zone shows he was booked in Palm Beach County on October 9, with a $5,000 bond set on the charge alleging use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
What Florida Law Says About the Charges
Under state law, using a two-way communications device to facilitate or further the commission of any felony is itself a third-degree felony, according to The Florida Senate's published statutes. Separately, Florida's digital-voyeurism statute addresses dissemination of such images, making it a crime when someone who knows or has reason to believe an image was created unlawfully then intentionally shares or transfers it for purposes including amusement, sexual arousal, degradation, exploitation or abuse, per The Florida Senate.
Related cases and reporting suspicious activity
A separate Palm Beach County case involved hidden cameras in a shared bathroom, not alleged phone filming in a store. CBS12 reported that investigators identified 58 incidents of video voyeurism between October 21, 2024, and November 8, 2024.
For general public-safety guidance, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advises people who see suspicious activity to report it to law enforcement and describe what they observed.
