SAN JOSE, CA – A man in California is facing serious charges after police discovered he had secretly filmed more than 90 individuals, some as young as 4, in a Starbucks restroom using a concealed camera. The subsequent investigation led authorities to uncover an array of micro cameras and a cache of firearms.
The incident occurred on January 31, 2024, when officers from the San José Police Department responded to a call about a hidden camera in the bathroom of a Starbucks located on Coleman Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered a camera covertly placed under the sink, angled towards the toilet.
The San José Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit (SAIU) immediately initiated an investigation into the unsettling discovery. The victims recorded on the hidden camera, using the restroom, ranged in age from 4 to 85 years old. The footage, deemed extremely graphic, contained images of several fully exposed minors. The recordings were made the day before the police’s intervention, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The investigation led to the identification of Louie Juarez as the suspect. Arrest and search warrants were subsequently issued. The department’s special operations team apprehended Juarez in San Jose. A search of Juarez’s residence revealed about 20 firearms, an assault rifle, an unregistered firearm, high-capacity magazines, and additional micro cameras.
A Starbucks spokesperson expressed deep concern over the incident, praising the swift response of the San Jose Police Department. They emphasized the company’s commitment to providing a safe environment for its customers and employees, pledging full cooperation with law enforcement.
Juarez faces charges including possession of child pornography, installation of a hidden surveillance camera with audio, possession of high-capacity magazines, possession of an assault rifle, and possession of an unregistered firearm. He was incarcerated in the Santa Clara County Jail.
The San Jose Police Department is urging anyone who believes they may have been recorded to contact Detective Lippert of the San Jose Police Sexual Assault Investigations Unit.