UPDATE 4/7/22: 29-year-old Dalton Matthew Matheson is charged in connection with a voyeurism incident at a Walmart dressing room. Lee County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that Matheson is also connected to another Goodwill voyeurism incident on April 3, 2022.
The judge ordered Matheson to avoid Walmart stores, the victims involved, and any minor under the age of 18. Four counts were levied against Matheson with bond set at $46,000 total:
- 2 counts of Sexual Voyeurism;
- 1 count of resisting an officer without violence;
- 1 count of petty theft
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno says Matheson's victims were two girls aged 12 and 4. The children's father confronted Matheson, who fled the store but was quickly captured.
He called the suspect a "piece of [expletive]" in describing the incident.
Lee County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that Matheson is also connected to the Goodwill voyeurism incident.
Our original reporting continues below.
A Lee County Sheriff's Office spokesperson confirmed the arrest of the suspect who they say is connected to a Walmart dressing room voyeurism case.
FMPD says that the same suspect is said to match descriptions of the man recording two girls with his cell phone inside a Fort Myers Goodwill fitting room.
Investigators say the incident happened on Saturday around 9:30 a.m. when the suspect entered the Goodwill Store at 4950 Challenge Boulevard.
They say he selected clothing and went to the fitting room.
Officers say this is when two girls who were also shopping went into the fitting room to try on clothing in the stall next to the man.
According to police, while inside, the male allegedly took his cellphone and started recording the juvenile females from the top of the fitting room as they changed and tried on clothing.
Officers say one of the girls observed the cellphone and made a comment. The suspect removed his cellphone and left the store.
"We're completely disturbed," says Carolyn Johnson, Goodwill's Senior Vice President of Mission Services and Development.
She says that the store was already in the process of renovating their dressing rooms when the incident occured.
“Ironically, over the past beginning of this year and end of last year, we started retrofitting all of our stores which did include drop down ceilings so that the top of the door met the ceiling so that there’s no way this could happen,” explains Johnson.
Dr. Yaro Garcia, a clinical coordinator with FGCU's Department of Counseling, says parents always need to be talking to children about staying safe in public spaces - and how technology plays a role.
“Conversations such as - If a person you don’t know is pointing a phone at you, that is not normal, that is not okay. You should question that, and you should come to me right away," says Dr. Garcia, on how parents should be discussing it.
Garcia, who also works with human trafficking survivors, says incidents like these can happen publicly anywhere, at anytime.
“It could happen publicly anywhere because the person who has this paraphilia is just simply looking for an opportunity to in which they could do that," says Dr. Garcia.
A message echoed by Johnson.
“It’s always a good idea for parents and anyone that comes in our store to be vigilant of your surroundings," says Johnson.
If you know anything about this incident contact SWFL Crime Stoppers
