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Polk County man arrested after attempting to record underneath a 9-year-old girl's dress, police say

Posted at 1:00 PM, Jul 10, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-13 04:55:26-04

HAINES CITY, Fla. — A 41-year-old man was arrested after attempting to record underneath a girl's dress, Haines police said.

Police said Levi Jonathan, 41, was following a 9-year-old girl around Walmart at 36205 U.S. 27 on July 1. He was attempting to film under her dress while she was shopping.

The surveillance video shows Jonathan following the girl. When the parent turned away, he knelt down and attempted to film underneath the girl's dress with a phone.

He was eventually seen by the girl's mother who reported the incident. However, Jonathan left the area.

Through an investigation, police were able to identify Jonathan as the suspect.

A search warrant was obtained and electronic devices were seized.

He was later arrested in his Winter Haven home.

Jonathan was charged with video voyeurism.

"While this is the first time he's being criminal charged for recording young girls, I can say unequivocally, given my experience, that this is not his only victim," Chief Jim Elensky said. "I applaud our detectives for doing a thorough investigation. Equally as important, I commend the girl's mother for speaking up for her daughter. I encourage parents everywhere to report this time of behavior. If you see something, you need to say something."