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Crime on the High Seas: Cruise Ship Employee Convicted of Recording Children for Child Pornography
Miami, Florida – In a disturbing case of exploitation, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, a stateroom attendant on the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. Mirasol, a citizen of the Philippines, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa Damian on August 28, 2024.
The investigation began on February 25, when a guest on the cruise ship discovered a hidden camera in their bathroom. Ship security was notified, and Mirasol was detained until the ship docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel boarded the ship and seized Mirasol’s electronics, which contained numerous videos of children in various stages of undress, focusing on their genital areas. One video even showed Mirasol installing a camera in a guest’s bathroom.
According to the agreed-upon factual proffer, Mirasol had been placing cameras in passenger cabins since December 2023. He would enter the guests’ rooms while they were showering and hide under their beds to secretly record them exiting the shower. HSI agents identified children depicted in the videos, ranging from 2 to 17 years of age.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI, Miami, and Carlos Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case. The HSI tip line is available for anyone with information regarding suspected crimes on cruise ships, including sexual abuse and child pornography, at 1-866-347-2423.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60046.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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