A Tavernier gas station clerk found himself in jail on Tuesday, following an investigation into his work activities after a woman found his cellphone recording in the women’s bathroom.
Alex Joel Rodriguez was charged with video voyeurism, a third-degree felony.
Around 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a report of suspicious activity and met with the victim at her home. The victim stated she went to the Circle K gas station at Mile Marker 92 that night around 12:30 a.m. to wash her hands. As she retrieved some toilet paper from the dispenser, a cellphone fell out onto the floor. She described the phone as having a white screen and a red light on next to the phone’s camera.
According to the report, the victim brought the phone to Rodriguez, believing someone might have left it in the bathroom by mistake. However, Rodriguez apparently acted “very strange” and “sketchy,” and took the phone abruptly.
Deputies met with Rodriguez at the gas station to get his side of the story. Rodriguez changed his story several times, at first stating it was his phone, and later stating he gave it to a woman who lost it. However, the victim was brought back to the gas station, where she positively identified Rodriguez’s phone as the one she found in the bathroom. Deputies then confiscated Rodriguez’s phone as potential evidence.
Detectives began investigating the incident, and requested the security footage from that night. A review of the footage showed Rodriguez entering the women’s bathroom with his phone in his hand just prior to the victim’s arrival, and then exiting without it. Further review of the footage from that night showed Rodriguez doing the same thing more than four times with other women. Once a woman used the bathroom, Rodriguez would retrieve his phone and review the footage
Detectives arrested Rodriguez on Tuesday and conducted a follow-up interview. According to the report, Rodriguez ultimately admitted to placing his cellphone in the women’s bathroom to record the actions of women whom he found attractive. Rodriguez stated he was “hoping the females would take their clothes off,” and admitted he had been doing this for several weeks.
Rodriguez was charged and transported to the Plantation Key jail, where he was being held without bond.
Information in the Crime Report is obtained from reports provided by area law enforcement agencies.
If you have information that could help solve a crime in the Florida Keys, call Crime Stoppers, 800-346-TIPS.