OVIEDO, Fla. — An Orange County firefighter has been relieved of duty after being accused by authorities of setting up hidden cameras in his home to secretly watch his female roommate.
- Orange firefighter charged with eavesdropping, video voyeurism
- Affidavit: He set up hidden cameras to eavesdrop on female roommate
- Woman told deputies she found cameras in bathroom, bedroom
Steven Richard Brandenberger, 38, of Oviedo, an Orange County Fire Rescue firefighter, is charged with video voyeurism and eavesdropping of an adult.
According to a Seminole County Sheriff's Office arrest report, Brandenberger and a female friend has shared a North Whisperbay Court home for the past several years, though she was about to move out. The home had a series of surveillance cameras.
The woman told deputies that on July 7, a friend who used her bathroom noticed a camera inside a vent, which was aimed at the shower. He sent her a picture of what he found.
When the woman arrived home, the camera was gone. There was, however, a drilled hole where the camera used to be, and inside the hole were wires and what appeared to be a microphone or small camera, which she removed, the arrest report said.
She told deputies that she found another camera in the vent in her bedroom, facing her bed. After this, she decided that although she wasn't scheduled to move out till the end of the month, she decided to move out as soon as possible.
When she was in the process of moving some of her things, Brandenberger and his mother asked her why she was moving out early, and she told them about the cameras she found.
According the arrest report, Brandenberger told his mom, who owns the home, that the items were "just sensors," not cameras.
Neighbors told Spectrum News 13 that Brandenberger is a wonderful and amazing neighbor.
“The state hasn’t filed formal charges. He’s only been arrested on suspicion of committing this offense, and hopefully we can identify some discrepancies or evidence that would suggest it’s improper to charge him with this crime,” said Richard Hornsby, Brandenberger’s attorney.
“He’s he worked for the Orange County Fire Department for over 14 years. His whole family is in law enforcement, so obviously I think we should extend him the benefit of the doubt until we see exactly what the state’s evidence is," Hornsby said.
Brandenberger was hired by Orange County Fire Rescue in 2006 and has a relatively clean criminal and work record.
"The charges brought forth against Brandenberger are in direct contrast to the core mission and values of the Orange County Fire Rescue Department," the agency said in a news release. "An administrative hearing will be scheduled to review the circumstances of his arrest and determine his immediate employment status with the Department."
Brandenberger was granted a total of $10,000 bond by a Seminole County judge Tuesday afternoon. His conditions for release include wearing a GPS monitor, not having any contact with anyone younger than 18, and no internet access.
