Christian Ziegler investigation: Florida GOP Chair probe expands to video voyeurism after rape allegation
SARASOTA, Fla. - Authorities with the Sarasota Police Department are expanding their investigation into Florida GOP Chairman Christian Ziegler.
They're now looking into whether he committed video voyeurism and secretly recorded the victim during a sexual encounter. Sarasota police started their investigation in October after a woman accused Ziegler of rape.
The victim told officers she had a prior sexual encounter with Ziegler and his wife, Sarasota County School Board Member Bridget Ziegler.
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When a second meeting was planned and canceled, the victim told investigators Ziegler showed up anyway and raped her.
A judge had issued a search warrant for all chats, videos and images on Instagram.
"I have seen in my own experience where social media will fight or resist. They want to protect their trademark, they want to protect us as users, our rights," said legal expert Bryant Camareno, who is not involved in this case.
Camareno said there are times social media platforms will work with investigators.
"I’ve seen it where they fight and in other instances where it’s a very serious allegation like a homicide or a suicide caught on tape or whatever, then they will cooperate in something like that, but it’s very hard to get them to agree to release documents if they exist," he told FOX 13.
The search warrant dated December 8, said Ziegler showed detectives the two and a half minute video of the sexual encounter. He maintained that it was consensual.
MORE: Florida GOP chairman under criminal investigation over sexual battery allegation: Police
His attorney, Derek Byrd, mentioned a message sent through Instagram vanish mode between the victim and Ziegler, where she asked if he had showed his wife, Bridget, the video.
Detectives spoke to both the victim and his wife, but neither knew anything about the video.
Video voyeurism is a third-degree felony. No charges have been filed against Ziegler at this time, according to the police department.