A high-ranking South Florida police officer faces criminal charges after a woman discovered a recording device hidden beneath a bathroom door while she was showering.
North Miami Beach Police Captain Jose Maya was arrested and appeared in court on Wednesday morning to face one count of video voyeurism.
According to arrest documents, the victim was in the shower when she spotted a small, black object peeking out from under the bathroom door. She initially believed it was an insect, but when she opened the door, she discovered Maya lying flat on the floor on the other side.
This was not the first suspicious encounter, according to investigators. The victim told police that roughly one year ago, she opened the same bathroom door and caught Maya on the ground, frantically scrambling to stand up. Though she found the behavior strange at the time, she did not report it.
The situation escalated two weeks ago when the victim decided to set up a hidden camera to monitor the area. Police records indicate that the camera captured footage of Maya placing a recording device under the bathroom door. Armed with the video evidence, the woman went to law enforcement on Monday to file a formal report.
Following the arrest, North Miami Beach Police Chief Juan Pinillos announced that Maya has been suspended from his position. The department is launching an internal administrative probe alongside the criminal case.
“I am deeply disappointed by the arrest of one of our police captains,” Chief Pinillos said in a statement posted to Facebook. “These allegations are deeply concerning and represent a serious breach of the public’s trust.”
Pinillos noted that his department is fully cooperating with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the criminal investigation. He stated that the agency will take “appropriate administrative action” based on the final findings and Florida state law.
“We remain committed to transparency, accountability and holding every member of this department, regardless of rank, to the highest professional standards,” Pinillos said.
Maya’s defense attorney, Eric T. Schwartzreich, released a statement reminding the public that criminal charges are not a final conviction.
“An arrest is merely an allegation, not a definitive judgment of guilt,” Schwartzreich said. “We are committed to thoroughly reviewing all the evidence, challenging the allegations through the judicial process, and vigorously defending our client in court.”
Schwartzreich emphasized that Maya, like any citizen accused of a crime, is presumed innocent “until and unless the state presents evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
Court records show that a judge set Maya’s bond at $7,500.
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