Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warrant for a video voyeur accused of coat hook cameras in women’s bathrooms in the Upper Keys.
Homestead resident Charles Schmidt, 36, was identified by detectives using the tattoos on his arm and a logo on a T-shirt that were captured in "test" videos taken on devices allegedly used to record females in the bathroom.
In May of 2016, coat hooks with hidden cameras were found mounted inside bathroom stalls at Anne’s Beach at the Circle K Convenience store in Key Largo. Another device was located at public restrooms at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier.
The cameras captured videos of women and girls in various states of undress.
Detectives also found what appeared to be “test” videos. In these, they identified a man’s arm with a distinctive tattoo. When they watched surveillance video from the Circle K convenience store from just before the camera was found there, they saw the man with the tattoo.
The man walks toward the restrooms, past the men’s restroom and into the women’s restroom, where the camera was located.
He wearing a shirt with a business logo for “Affordable Asphalt”. Detectives went to the business and identified the man as Schmidt.
During the investigation, Schmidt was also found to allegedly capture videos of his young children's friends in the restroom.
Schmidt is currently wanted for 14 counts of video voyeurism with the victim 19-years-of-age or older and two counts of video voyeurism with the victim under 16-years-of-age. Bond on the warrant is set at $450,000.
Schmidt is believed to have fled the area with his girlfriend, identified as 27-year-old Shelly Arnold (pictured below).
Anyone with information which could help detectives locate Schmidt should contact the Sheriff's Office at 305-289-2351. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys.
If a Crimestoppers tip leads to an arrest, the caller would be eligible for a cash reward. The Crimestoppers hot line number is 1-800-346-TIPS. Tips may be made anonymously online atwww.tipsubmit.com or via a text message to 274637 using the keyword TIP136.