Hidden camera discovered in Santa Rosa restaurant bathroom vent; manager arrested
The manager of a Santa Rosa restaurant was arrested after a patron discovered a cellphone recording video in an air vent of the bathroom, police said Tuesday.
Santa Rosa police said officers responded on Monday to Ohana Hawaiian BBQ at 2150 Santa Rosa Avenue to investigate the patron's report of finding the cellphone in the ceiling of the women's restroom. The female patron had a habit of checking the vents in public restrooms after seeing videos on social media about hidden recording devices, police said.
The patron examined the air vent after entering the single-user restroom and saw what appeared to be a cellular phone in the vent with the camera lens facing the inside of the bathroom, police said.
After contacting police, the patron notified the manager of the restaurant and prevented anyone from going in the restroom until officers arrived. The officers removed the vent cover and recovered the phone, noting that it was recording video and had been recording for approximately 46 minutes, police said.
Officers determined the phone belonged to the restaurant manager, identified as 37-year-old Danial Nam of Santa Rosa, who allegedly used the phone to record at least one victim inside the bathroom, police said. Nam was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail on one count of secretly recording a person in a private area without consent.
His bail was set at $200,000.
Investigators seized Nam's phone and laptop computer and were reviewing the devices to determine how long Nam had been allegedly recording people and identify any additional victims, police said. It's believed patrons in the bathroom could have been recorded for several months.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized or anyone with information about the case was asked call the Santa Rosa Police Department's tipline at 707-543-3595.
