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A man who volunteered as a coach in local youth athletics is facing felony charges after deputies say he planted a hidden phone inside a Youngstown church in an attempt to record video up women's skirts. Lynn Haven Youth Coach Bryan Hood Arrested After Hidden Phone Allegedly Found in Bay County Church Recording Up Women's Skirts.
The Bay County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Bryan James Hood. According to deputies, Hood placed a phone underneath a staircase at the church, allegedly positioning it to capture footage of women without their knowledge or consent.
Deputies said the case began after they received a report describing a phone that had been secretly hidden at the church. That report prompted an investigation, which led detectives to Hood.
Investigators said a recently enacted law allowed them to charge Hood with generating an altered sexual depiction without consent, a charge that would not have been available under older statutes. He also faces a charge of digital voyeurism involving a victim 19 years of age or older, according to the sheriff's office.
The Bay County Sheriff's Office said that, as of now, investigators have not located any images depicting children. Officials said the material recovered so far appears to involve only adult women.
Hood was arrested and booked into the Bay County Jail on July 1. He is facing the two felony charges stemming from the investigation.
Lynn Haven officials moved quickly to clarify Hood's relationship with the city, stating plainly that he was not a city employee. Officials noted his connection to the community came through his volunteer work coaching youth athletics rather than through any formal position with the city government.
This is a developing story, and further details are expected as the investigation continues.
The factual information above was sourced from wjhg.com as of July 8, 2026.
The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When someone in a position of trust — a coach, a mentor, a volunteer — is accused of secretly recording others, the case rarely ends with a single arrest. Criminal charges are only part of the picture. Michael Haggard, a Florida attorney with experience in sexual abuse and misconduct cases, breaks down what victims and communities can expect once a case like this becomes public — from how prosecutors build a criminal case to the separate civil claims that can follow, including questions about whether an organization did enough to prevent harm in the first place.
Editor Darla Medina: Let's start broad — when a volunteer coach or community figure is arrested on voyeurism-related charges, what legal exposure are we generally talking about?
Attorney Michael Haggard: There are really two separate tracks. There's the criminal side, where the state prosecutes the individual, and there's the civil side, where victims can pursue their own claims for damages. Those two processes run independently of each other and don't require the same outcome.
Medina: Can you walk us through what a criminal case like this typically involves?
Haggard: Sure. Prosecutors have to prove the elements of whatever specific statute applies — things like intent, lack of consent, and how the recording was made or stored. Florida has tightened some of its laws around altered or non-consensual imagery in recent years, so the charges available to prosecutors have expanded compared to what existed even five years ago.
Medina: And on the civil side — what options do victims have?
Haggard: Victims can file a civil lawsuit against the individual directly for invasion of privacy or emotional distress. But often the more significant claims involve the organization connected to the person — a church, a youth league, a school. If there was inadequate screening, supervision, or a failure to act on prior warning signs, that organization can carry its own liability.
Medina: That's an important distinction. How does a victim determine whether an organization bears responsibility?
Haggard: It usually comes down to what the organization knew, or should have known, and what steps they took to prevent harm. Did they run background checks? Did they have policies limiting unsupervised access? Courts look closely at whether reasonable precautions were in place.
Medina: For someone who suspects they may have been a victim in a case like this, what would you tell them to do first?
Haggard: Document everything you can, report it to law enforcement, and talk to an attorney early. A consultation costs nothing, and it helps people understand their rights before evidence or timelines become harder to work with.
Medina: Any final thoughts for victims of digital voyeurism?
Haggard: Just that you're not powerless here. What happened to you was not your fault, and the law is catching up to give victims real tools — both to hold the person accountable and to press the organizations around them to do better. Don't sit with it alone. Talk to an experienced attorney and start understanding what your options actually are.
If you or someone you love has been affected by a situation like this, you don't have to figure out the next step alone. The Legal Herald can connect you with an experienced attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation to walk through your options, answer your questions, and help you understand what accountability could look like — for the individual involved and for any organization that may share responsibility. Call today to get started.
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