The Celebrity Beyond cruise ship.
ST. THOMAS — A North Carolina man is facing a federal video voyeurism charge after investigators say a hidden camera disguised as a pen was discovered in a public restroom aboard the Celebrity Beyond while the cruise ship was docked at the Austin Monsanto Marine Terminal in Crown Bay, St. Thomas. According to recently unsealed District Court filings, the device was found by a crew member, turned over to ship security, and later traced to cruise passenger Robert Peng, who authorities say admitted planting the camera and using similar devices to record women in public.
According to court documents, the case began on April 1, when a Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent said he was contacted by ship management. Management reported that a member of the cleaning staff had found what appeared to be a pen hidden beneath discarded hand towels in a public unisex restroom on board the ship.
The staffer realized that the pen contained a small camera and brought the device to security.
Security officers then reviewed surveillance footage from the area near the restroom in an effort to identify who may have placed the device there. During that review window, they identified nine passengers who had entered the restroom area. Among them was Robert Peng, who was seen accessing the area several times.
Ship security then sealed the pen and its memory card in an evidence bag and handed them over to the FBI.
Federal agents later reviewed the video files stored on the memory card. According to the court filings, the first recordings showed a person appearing to be Mr. Peng manipulating the camera and positioning it toward the toilet. Later videos showed several people entering the restroom and using the toilet over a period of about 90 minutes.
FBI agents say at least one of the recorded victims was a minor child.
Mr. Peng was later interviewed by FBI special agents and reportedly admitted planting the camera. According to the filings, he told investigators that he had purchased the device, along with other spy cameras, online several months earlier.
He also reportedly told agents that he uses such devices to record women in public and that once on board the Celebrity Beyond, he decided to use the pen camera in the ship’s bathroom.
After reportedly obtaining Mr. Peng’s consent, law enforcement officers searched his room, laptop, and phone. According to the filings, agents found additional bathroom recordings saved on the laptop.
Mr. Peng was then arrested and charged with video voyeurism.
He later appeared before U.S. Magistrate Alan Teague, who ordered his release on a $1,000 unsecured bond pending trial.
As part of the release conditions, Mr. Peng was ordered to provide a list of all electronic devices to which he has access. The court also barred him from traveling outside the continental United States without written permission. Travel outside his home state of North Carolina must also be disclosed in advance.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 13.
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