A 22-year-old man allegedly used a cell phone to take photos of a little girl in the women’s restroom of a Naples mall, the Naples Police Department said in a press release Monday.
David Sanabria, of unincorporated Collier County, was charged with video voyeurism and drug charges related to the incident. As of Tuesday morning, Sanabria remained in custody at the Collier County Jail, records show. Sanabria was given a court date of Oct. 7. Attorney details as well as information about a potential bond were not immediately available Tuesday.
The incident happened on Sept. 13 at the Coastland Center Mall, a shopping center featuring approximately 122 stores a movie theater and food court. Police who were patrolling the mall were approached by a minor who said that a man was taking photos of her in the women’s restroom from a neighboring bathroom stall. Police saw Sanabria exiting the women’s restroom and he was taken into custody, investigators said in the press release.
Sanabria was allegedly on Supervised Inmate Release from the Florida Department of Corrections on previous charges of fleeing to evade police.
Leesfield & Partners
From cases in which attorneys with the firm have aggressively pursued compensation on behalf of those who have been victims of elder abuse to litigating cases that have brought about industry-wide, necessary changes for juvenile products, Leesfield & Partners has historically represented the most vulnerable. In over four decades of doing so, the firm has built a reputation of vigorously and doggedly pursuing the best possible outcomes for injured clients.
In one case handled by attorneys with the firm, a Canadian woman was raped by a crewmember who entered her room using an employee keycard. The horrific incident should never have happened and is yet another example of a need for increased policing aboard cruise ships.
In a recent article published in the Daily Business Review, Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, discussed issues he says contribute to an “uptick” in sex crimes on cruise ships, an issue that has persisted with the growth of the industry.
“I do see an upward tick,” Leesfield said. “But, in all fairness, there are many more cruise passengers, and the cruise population is higher. So, the numbers go up, particularly when the cruise population is up, but the enforcement and policing are down. So, it’s sort of a perfect storm. And I think this will continue until the cruise lines get a program together.”
Attorneys with the firm secured a multi-million settlement amount for the woman in that case. Leesfield & Partners’ maritime law practice is among the country’s leading advocates for those injured at sea.
The firm previously handled a case in which an innocent cruise ship passenger was suddenly descended upon by a violent group who beat up our client.
The firm was recently obtained to represent a woman in a case similar to that at the Coastland Center Mall. In that case, our client was traveling aboard a cruise ship when a crewmember using his employee status to enter private staterooms planted hidden cameras to film guests. Our client was among the victims, some of whom were minors. The crewmember faced criminal charges following a law enforcement investigation.
Litigation in that case is ongoing.
Cruise Ship Crime Numbers
The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act enacted by Congress in 2010 provides certain protection provisions for passengers and those aboard cruise ships coming in and out of the United States. These incidents include sexual assaults, rapes, missing persons, physical; assaults, property crimes and other alleged criminal activity. Among those protections include guidelines and mandatory reporting of crimes happening on cruise ships, the protection of crime scenes, and training for passenger-vessel crew.
The latest data has shown a slight decrease in crime aboard ships from the first quarter of 2024. The first quarter of 2024 ran from January to March and reported eight assaults with serious bodily injury, 16 sexual assaults, 16 rapes and one missing persons case. In the second quarter, about eight assaults with serious bodily injury, one suspicious death, one missing person, nine sexual assaults and 16 rape cases aboard ships were reported.
Approximately 131 sex crimes were reported to the FBI in 2023 including 52 sexual assaults and 79 rapes happening on ships embarking and disembarking to and from the United States. In 2022 data, where the data did not separate the two crimes into individual categories, there were a total of 87 alleged sex crimes.
If you or someone you know believes they may have an injury claim following an assault aboard a cruise ship docked in Florida, don’t wait. Call Leesfield & Partners today for a free consultation at 305-854-4900 or 800-836-6400.
For Mental Health help following an assault, know you are not alone. Help can be found by calling the 24-hour National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.