An employee at a Pasco County mini golf facility has been charged with video voyeurism after a video camera was found in the men's bathroom at the business.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, 28-year-old Justin Lynn Barrett of Port Richey was arrested Saturday. Barrett is facing charges after the discovery of a hidden camera inside a men's room at Congo River Miniature Golf at 10555 U.S. 19.
A man using the restroom noticed a cell phone with its video recorder on leaning against the wall under a sink. The phone was recording as the man was standing at a urinal.
"He sees it and was very suspicious because he's using the urinal," Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "He's exposed. He looks down and sees it videotaping."
Nocco said that by the time the customer found the phone, it had already been recording for five minutes. The customer then brought the phone to an employee, who happened to be Barrett.
The customer also went to management, who called authorities to the scene. However, Nocco said Barrett still had the phone at the time.
"Justin Barrett tried to start destroying part of the evidence," he said.
According to the arrest report, when the responding deputy questioned Barrett, the suspect admitted he placed the cell phone in the bathroom after "he saw a hot man."
Congo River Golf officials said Barrett was fired immediately.
“We would like to first apologize to the family," said Christian Vozza, the company's vice president of marketing. "We immediately terminated the employee, and are disgusted by his actions."
People who were visiting the golf course Monday were shocked by the arrest.
"I wouldn’t think that anybody at a place like this, where kids come all the time, to do something like that," customer George Sed said.
Barrett posted a $5,000 bail and was released from the Land O’ Lakes Jail on Sunday.