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Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a worker on a cruise ship, has been charged with federal offenses after allegedly placing cameras in guest bathrooms to secretly film children while they showered. He also hid under beds to record naked guests.
On March 3, Mirasol was arrested in Florida as the Royal Caribbean Group’s Symphony of the Seas docked in Fort Lauderdale.
According to federal court documents, he is facing charges of producing and possessing child pornography.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean stated that they have a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior and promptly reported the incident to law enforcement.
The crew member has been terminated, and the company will fully cooperate with authorities.
The case was initiated on February 26 when Royal Caribbean staff alerted federal authorities about the allegations against Mirasol.
Department of Homeland Security special agent Michelle Maglione, who is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, filed a criminal complaint detailing the claims of secret camera installations.
Federal authorities eagerly awaited the Symphony of the Seas’ arrival at Port Everglades from Haiti.
Law enforcement officers approached Arvin Joseph Mirasol, who claimed to work as a guest room cleaner.
They confiscated Mirasol’s cellphone, two SD cards, and a USB drive while on board the vessel.
During the investigation, agents discovered disturbing content on the USB stick.
According to Maglione’s report, the USB contained numerous videos of women undressing in bathrooms, as well as videos of child pornography.
One particularly alarming video was a 114.61 gigabyte recording lasting approximately 5 minutes.
It depicted Mirasol setting up a camera in the bathroom, specifically aimed at the shower.
Shortly after, a young girl, estimated to be around 10 years old, entered the restroom wearing a cruise wristband indicating her age.
Further examination of Mirasol’s phone revealed searches for terms such as “hidden cameras” and “teen on bed.”
In a recorded interview with law enforcement officers, Mirasol confessed to installing the cameras while restocking guest rooms.
He admitted to engaging in this illicit activity since he began working on the vessel in December.
Mirasol expressed a desire to control his actions but acknowledged his inability to do so.
Furthermore, Mirasol disclosed that he would enter the rooms while guests were showering and hide under the bed, using his mobile device to record them in a state of undress.
Sexual misconduct has been a persistent issue on cruise ships, leading to numerous lawsuits and criminal charges.
The number of reported sex crimes on cruises to and from the United States increased between 2022 and 2023, as reported by The Post.
However, it is important to note that the 131 instances of sexual assault or rape in 2023 represent less than 1 percent of the millions of passengers who embark on cruises annually.
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