Florida Church Overseer Arrested on Voyeurism Charges, Released on $25,000 Bond

Q: A church leader secretly filmed girls for decades. How was he finally caught by a routine computer check?

He was caught because his employer’s IT staff found a Google Drive folder of inappropriate images and videos on his work laptop during a routine company process, then immediately alerted police. According to investigators, RoMac Building Supply’s IT director discovered the material while checking company systems. That led Leesburg police and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to examine the files, which included videos of adolescent girls and adult women. Detectives then determined some of the footage appeared to come from a hidden camera placed in a bathroom and changing room at Heritage Community Church in Fruitland Park, where Charles Barton Lucas served as an “overseer.” Authorities said some of the recordings may date back to the early 2000s, suggesting the conduct may have gone on for years without detection. When deputies later inspected the church areas, the cameras were no longer there, but the digital evidence on the work computer and linked cloud storage was enough to trigger the criminal case. Lucas, 59, was arrested June 19, 2026, on five counts of video voyeurism. RoMac said it fired him and fully cooperated with law enforcement. The church also said it is cooperating, while investigators continue trying to identify possible victims. The case shows how ordinary corporate IT reviews can uncover serious crimes when illegal material is stored on employer-owned devices or cloud accounts.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

59-year-old Charles Barton Lucas was arrested Friday on video voyeurism charges after investigators tied hidden-camera footage to a church bathroom and changing area; he was released Saturday on a $25,000 bond.
A RoMac Building Supply IT director alerted police after finding a Google Drive folder on Lucas' work laptop containing inappropriate images of adolescent girls and adult women, prompting a wider investigation.
Lake County deputies said additional videos appeared to show adolescent girls changing inside Heritage Community Church, and investigators determined the footage came from a hidden camera once installed in a church changing room and bathroom.
RoMac said Lucas is no longer employed, while Heritage Community Church said it is cooperating with authorities and focusing on people and families potentially affected.
The cameras were gone when deputies returned to inspect the bathroom, and the investigation remains ongoing.