Written by: Sam Orlando
“Thorny Legal Issues” or Just an Obvious Crime?
In a story that sounds less like a legal debate and more like a criminal justice no-brainer, Mitchell Wasek, the 28-year-old son of a Buc-ee’s co-founder, has been indicted on 21 counts of felony invasive visual recording. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a grand jury returned six separate indictments after allegations that Wasek secretly filmed house guests in bathrooms across multiple states.
From 2021 to 2023, at least 13 victims were allegedly recorded in what one might reasonably assume to be private moments—using toilets, showering, changing clothes, and engaging in intimate acts. But privacy, apparently, was not on Wasek’s list of household priorities.
Investigators claim he utilized hidden cameras, including a particularly charming model disguised as a charging port, which was ultimately discovered by an unfortunate guest at a party in Spicewood, Texas. To really round out the case, his online shopping history reportedly featured a greatest-hits collection of spy cameras and surveillance accessories.
High-Tech Creeping: A Family Affair?
According to the affidavit, once the hidden camera was unearthed, guests quickly realized they had unknowingly starred in Wasek’s personal collection of unsolicited reality TV. The footage didn’t just come from the Spicewood home—recordings allegedly spanned multiple family-owned properties in Austin, Dallas, and a vacation home in Colorado. (Because what’s a family retreat without a little illegal surveillance?)
Travis County District Attorney José Garza reinforced the seriousness of the case, stating, “A group of independent Travis County community members heard the evidence and law and decided that Mr. Wasek’s conduct was unlawful.” That’s legalese for, "Yeah, this guy broke the law."
Legal analyst Charlie Baird further explained the obvious: “This type of recording is done without the person’s consent in an area where they would expect privacy… like a toilet, bathroom, or bedroom. It’s always been against the law.” Yes, always. As in, not recently invented just to inconvenience Mitchell Wasek.
The Defense: A Masterclass in Missing the Point
While most would consider this case a straightforward violation of privacy and human decency, Wasek’s lawyer, David Gonzalez, seems to think it’s a philosophical discussion about property rights. In a statement that could only be described as bold (or baffling), Gonzalez asks: “May a homeowner install a camera in his home without telling housekeepers or guests, or does the guest have a greater legal right than the homeowner?”
Ah yes, the age-old question of whether homeowners should have more rights than their unsuspecting, undressed, and illegally filmed houseguests. What’s next—debating whether bank tellers have a greater right to money than the account holder making a deposit?
Privacy in the Age of Creepy Rich Kids
Cases like this highlight the growing issue of covert surveillance as cameras become more affordable and technology continues to outpace ethics. Security cameras in common areas? Sure. Spy cams in guest bathrooms? That’s not "thorny legal territory"—that’s just a crime.
If convicted, Wasek faces a series of felony charges that could land him in prison, though one imagines his legal team will work hard to convince a jury that secretly recording people using the bathroom in your house is simply an overlooked homeowner’s privilege.
The Buc-ee’s Legacy: More Than Clean Bathrooms?
Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based convenience store chain famous for its enormous bathrooms, spotless rest stops, and iconic beaver mascot, now finds itself uncomfortably adjacent to an unsettling scandal. The irony is rich—Wasek is facing charges for violating the very thing Buc-ee’s prides itself on: bathroom etiquette.
What’s Next?
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the court will be swayed by the “but it’s my house” defense or whether Wasek will be held accountable like any other person caught committing an incredibly obvious crime. In the meantime, one might advise future houseguests to skip the sleepover and opt for a hotel instead—one that doesn’t come with built-in surveillance.
Stay tuned for the legal arguments that could redefine privacy—or just confirm that, yes, secretly filming people in bathrooms is still illegal.
Comments