Florida man accused of secretly recording young girls at Walmart with hidden GoPro

OCALA, Fla. – A year after being banned from Walmart for secretly recording young girls, a man was arrested at the same store with a hidden camera, according to the Ocala Police Department. 

Joshua Gaines, 32, was arrested and charged with 10 counts of digital voyeurism and 403 counts of possession of child pornography after the incident that unfolded at Walmart at 2600 SW 19th Ave. Road in Ocala on Aug. 9, police said. 

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At around 7:45 p.m., police responded to Walmart and found Gaines allegedly secretly recording young female customers. He was recognized by the store’s asset protection investigator due to the fact that Gaines had been trespassed from the store in August of last year for the same suspicious behavior, police said. 

Joshua Gaines was spotted shopping at a Walmart that he was previously trespassed from on Aug. 9, 2024. (Photo: Ocala Police Department)

“He knew he was not allowed to return to the location,” police added. 

Security footage from the store allegedly showed Gaines pretending to shop with a hidden camera inside a small black bag on his person. 

Joshua Gaines was in possession of a GoPro camera concealed in a black bag that was used to secretly record young customers at Walmart, according to the Ocala Police Department. (Photo: Ocala Police Department)

“He aimed the camera to capture video of the children’s private areas,” police said. “Most of his actions occurred in the back-to-school section, where many young girls were present.”

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An officer took Gaines into custody while trespassing inside the store with a cart full of items. That’s when police found a GoPro camera and two cellphones in his possession. 

Joshua Gaines was arrested and charged with 10 counts of digital voyeurism and 403 counts of possession of child pornography. (Photo: Ocala Police Department)

Search warrants for the devices revealed “multiple media files that indicated a clear pattern of digital voyeurism” and “hundreds of images of child pornography as young as approximately six years of age,” police said. 

Gaines remains in custody at the Marion County Jail without bond. 

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“Great job to our patrol officers for their outstanding work in this investigation and their commitment to keeping our community safe,” the Ocala Police Department said in a statement. “We also commend Walmart’s Asset Protection Investigator for being alert and acting quickly, which was essential in catching the suspect.”