WINTER PARK, Fla. – A hidden camera investigation involving a popular Winter Park coffee shop has now led to an arrest after police say customers were secretly recorded inside a restroom over multiple days.
According to an arrest affidavit, hidden cameras were discovered inside the restroom used by Barnie’s Coffee & Tea customers on Park Avenue on March 22, March 25, and again on April 28.
Investigators arrested 27-year-old Nicolas Sebastian Esparza on a charge of digital voyeurism.
Police say surveillance video showed Esparza placing a hidden camera inside the restroom. According to the report, one of his law professors at Barry University later identified him from surveillance images.
Investigators say one memory card contained video of 18 people inside the restroom, including men, women, and children.
News of the arrest is alarming some regular customers at the popular Winter Park coffee shop.
“I think it’s disgusting and appalling that in this day and age you have to be careful, to be leery of the bathrooms you use,” said Niki Estrada, who was visiting Barnie’s on Tuesday.
Estrada said the case now has her thinking differently about privacy in public spaces.
“You kind of got me thinking I should get some sort of device trying to detect where the cameras could be hidden,” she said.
Another customer told News 6 she believes businesses should take more responsibility for preventing hidden cameras inside restrooms.
“That should fall on the business owners,” she said. “You’re running an establishment, you have bathrooms, you need to do your due diligence.”
News 6 contacted Barnie’s management for comment. A manager initially responded, “Thank you for the inquiry. We will let law enforcement provide any comments.”
However, Barnie’s released the following statement on Friday, saying it was their managers who found the cameras in the bathroom, which is shared with other businesses in the area.
Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Company has released the following statement. Barnie’s Coffee values the safety of its customers and employees above everything else. We have had a presence in the community for 45 years, and we consider Winter Park our home.
Up to this point, Barnie’s has refrained from commenting on this incident to allow law enforcement to continue its work. At this time, we would like to clarify some important points.
Barnie’s management discovered a camera hidden in the common area bathroom located off Greeneda Court on March 22 and immediately alerted local law enforcement, who were very responsive. Since this camera was found, management has had a policy of checking for cameras regularly and on two further occasions, cameras were found by Barnie’s employees and immediately reported to law enforcement. The common area bathroom is used by patrons of multiple businesses on Park Avenue. It is accessed through the Greeneda courtyard and is not in Barnie’s cafe.
The accused is not a Barnie’s employee and has never been a Barnie’s employee. He has no affiliation with the company.
We are concerned for the victims of these incidents. We support local law enforcement and trust that they will act within the law to protect our community.
Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company
Barry University also sent News 6 a statement saying:
“Barry University is aware of an off-campus incident involving a law student and continues to assist law enforcement as appropriate. Due to privacy laws, we cannot comment on any student’s enrollment status.”
The News 6 Neighborhood Network also received messages from viewers concerned they may have visited the restroom during the time investigators say the cameras were placed there.
One woman told News 6 she and her mother regularly visit Barnie’s on weekends. After contacting Winter Park police, she said investigators were “very helpful” and eager for any information connected to the case.
She now urges anyone who believes they may have been recorded — or who may have information that could help investigators — to contact Winter Park police immediately.