Following a bench trial, Joshua Joseph Gray and George Douglas Metz have been found guilty of unlawfully video recording inside Social Security field offices in Central Florida. United States Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd sentenced both men to pay a $3,000 fine and serve six months' probation.
Gray, aged 45 from New Smyrna Beach, and Metz, aged 51 from Belleview, were charged on November 28, 2023. The charges stemmed from incidents occurring between November 2022 and January 2023. During this period, the two men entered three different Social Security offices while recording videos despite being informed by signage and representatives that such activities are prohibited without prior permission.
The prohibition on video recording is intended to protect the privacy of customers who visit these offices for personal business matters. Despite these warnings, Gray and Metz posted their recordings online on their YouTube channels. These videos included footage of the public and Social Security representatives conducting business. The defendants monetized these videos through payments and donations.
The Federal Protective Service along with the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation into this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro prosecuted the case.