Police said a man was in the women’s bathroom recording a 13-year-old girl at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, Monday
The suspect, Fernando Barbosa, is accused of recording hundreds of women inside the mall.
“He’s been doing this since 2018, capturing hundreds of videos over that time using same restroom, on every single occasion,” said a prosecutor. “The frequency of this has gone up two times a week.”
The 30-year-old offender appeared in court Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, on May 2, a victim under the age of 16 years old was in the restroom. On the arrest report, she looked up and noticed a black iPhone over her stall either filming her or taking pictures of her.
The girl told her grandmother, who was with her.
Police said Barbosa heard them and decided to change his shoes from black and white Converse high-tops to women’s beige ballet-style flats to disguise himself.
The pair watched him walk out of the stall and were shocked, telling Barbosa, “You are a man. What are you doing in the girls bathroom?”
They grabbed the 30-year-old as he tried to run.
“But it’s certainly aggravating how often he has been doing this. He doesn’t appear to have any control,” said a prosecutor.
7News went to Barbosa’s apartment Friday afternoon, Barbosa opened the door to look out but closed it when asked about the voyeurism allegations.
Police said the defendant admitted to “having a fetish, which is out of control, and also admitting to recording females in the ladies restroom since 2018, capturing hundred of videos.”
Barbosa posted $60,000 bond.
He cannot come back to the mall, and must refrain from contact with the victim or any minors and, according to the judge, he cannot possess anything that gives access to the internet or record videos.