A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly hiding in the ceiling of a women’s restroom at a Fort Walton Beach church and pointing a cell phone camera at a woman inside, according to police.
- On May 3, officers with the Fort Walton Beach Police Department responded to a report of a possible armed individual at Grace Church, located at 218 Eglin Parkway NE.
When officers arrived, they met with parishioners who had been safely evacuated from the building during an ongoing religious service. Witnesses told officers that a male subject was inside the ceiling of the women’s restroom.
Officers entered the building and located the individual in the ceiling. The subject, identified as Aquilino Sanjur Ortega, was found to be unarmed and was taken into custody without incident, police said.
During the investigation, a female victim reported that while inside the women’s restroom, she observed a mobile phone positioned above the ceiling with its camera pointed downward in her direction. She immediately exited the restroom and alerted church staff.
- Ortega was charged with video voyeurism and disturbing a religious assembly. He is also being held on an immigration detainer.
“Our priority is always the safety of our community,” Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Robert Bage said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the quick actions of church staff and the calm, coordinated response of our officers that led to a safe resolution.”
The Fort Walton Beach Police Department is encouraging community members and organizations to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity promptly.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
