Former Miami-Dade Fire Lieutenant Charged with Over 600 Bathroom Voyeurism Videos

Manuel Fernandez, a former Miami-Dade Fire Rescue lieutenant, was arrested and charged with 11 counts of video voyeurism after secretly recording more than 600 videos of 18 colleagues in fire station bathrooms. The hidden camera, disguised as a wall charger, was discovered in the men's bathroom at Fire Station 69 in Doral and later found to have been used in the women's bathroom at Fire Station 66 in Homestead. Investigators determined Fernandez was the only employee present at both stations during the times the cameras were active, and video evidence showed a man in an MDFR uniform adjusting the device. The recordings, made between February and April 2023, captured employees in vulnerable states within a private area where they had an absolute expectation of privacy. After the discovery, Fernandez was placed on administrative leave, later resigned, and declined to speak without an attorney during the investigation. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue department has emphasized their commitment to transparency and the well-being of affected employees throughout the ongoing case.