ORLANDO, FL (December 4, 2019) – According to an article published by insidethemagic.net, a former Disney employee has been charged with illegally intercepting oral communications following allegations that the employee recorded an interview she had with Disney security personnel.
The Disney employee, who worked at the ESPN Club restaurant at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, is accused of sharing the recording with a 24-year-old man (also a former Disney employee) who was charged in May of this year with stealing more than $7,000 in costumes from Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom. The man was charged with burglary, theft, and dealing in stolen property.
The Disney employee recently arrested and charged with illegally recording a conversation had been recording an interview of her by Disney security officers relating to the May 2019 theft incident. The employee then shared the recording with the 24-year-old man facing multiple theft charges. The Disney employee did not obtain the security officers’ consent before recording the conversation.
During the interview, the employee was questioned about her entering areas on Disney property that she was not assigned to. The employee also was questioned about removing certain items from areas on Disney property. The interview reportedly took place in an office within the ESPN Club restaurant. A human resource officer, as well as a union representative, was present.
The Disney employee admitted during the interview that she entered certain areas of Disney property and removed a ride manual, but she stated she had permission from an unknown employee to enter the area. The employee is not currently facing any theft charges.
The Disney employee reportedly used her cell phone to record the interview with the security personnel and uploaded the recording to an online cloud storage service before subsequently sharing the recording with the 24-year-old man facing theft charges.
Both the former Disney employee recently arrested, and the 24-year-old man arrested back in May of this year have pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges. The woman’s attorney has filed a motion to dismiss all charges, claiming that the security personnel had no expectation of privacy when interviewing the woman about potential theft on Disney property.
Illegally Recording Conversations Under Florida Law
Under Florida Statute Section 934.03, it is unlawful for a person to record a conversation without the consent of the other party or parties to the conversation. Therefore, if a person wishes to record a conversation, he or she must obtain consent from every participant to the conversation. Otherwise, the recording is considered illegal. A person convicted of illegally recording a conversation faces a third-degree felony and potential jail sentence of up to five years.
Additionally, it is unlawful for a person to disseminate an illegally recorded conversation, especially one that pertains to an ongoing criminal investigation. Such dissemination may be deemed as obstruction, which is a separate criminal offense a person may face alongside illegally recording a conversation. Florida’s statute does not apply to public statements or conversations. For example, a person who records a public speech would not face criminal charges.