Arianna Mercado··2 MIN READ
Photo courtesy of Alexandria Police Department
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Joshua Hombrebueno, a 21-year-old Philippine national residing unlawfully in the United States, was taken into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal proceedings following his conviction for hidden-camera voyeurism in a Virginia restaurant restroom.
On 20 September 2025, a customer and her young daughter used the employee restroom at Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie in Del Ray, Alexandria, where Hombrebueno worked. The customer noticed a phone hidden in a slightly open vanity and positioned against toilet paper. Upon checking the device, she identified Hombrebueno as the person who had placed it there, leading to his arrest by local police.
Hombrebueno initially faced three felony charges and nine misdemeanors. Under a plea agreement, a felony charge involving a child was withheld, and he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of videotaping undressed individuals without their consent.
Photo courtesy of DHS
In August 2026, he was sentenced to five years in jail, suspended, five years of probation, and mandatory sex offender registration.
After serving time at the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center, the Alexandria Sheriff's Office transferred Hombrebueno to ICE custody on 12 October.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the action was part of a broader Department of Homeland Security operation targeting individuals convicted of sexual offenses, domestic violence and other offenses considered public safety risks.