Lawyers Call Ice Cream Shop Recording Scheme 'Appalling'

CHICAGO — Romanucci & Blandin, a national trial firm based in Chicago, says it is representing multiple people concerned they were exploited and secretly filmed while in the bathroom by the owner of a business in Addison. Steven Weisberg, 58, of Buffalo Grove, is facing two felony counts of child pornography and unauthorized video recording at his business, Flavor Frenzy.

Weisberg is next scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 15.

Last weekend, a DuPage County judge granted a request to deny a pretrial release for Weisberg, who was arrested Friday. In early August, Addison police received an anonymous complaint reporting "suspicious activity" involving what appeared to be a fake electrical wall outlet at the 48 W. Lake St. business.

According to police, an undercover officer went to the ice cream shop and saw what appeared to be an outlet in the bathroom with a small black lens positioned to capture portions of the bathroom, including a urinal.

RELATED: Ice Cream Shop Owner Secretly Recorded Underage Female Employees With Fake Wall Outlet — Police

After obtaining a search warrant, officers removed the fake outlet and found that it contained a camera. Weisberg is accused of installing the camera "a few years earlier" and police believe he was able to access and save video footage from the camera on his laptop and cellphone.

Romanucci & Blandin said Tuesday it is commencing a civil investigation into what happened at the ice cream shop. Police said Flavor Frenzy is not currently in operation, and its business license has been voluntarily surrendered.

"The premise that this ice cream shop attracted employees and customers from the community only to secretly violate their privacy is deeply troubling," said Antonio M. Romanucci, founding partner of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC. "We believe innocent children have been exploited inappropriately and negligently at this business."

According to police, while executing a search warrant for Weisberg's electronic devices at his home and at the ice cream shop, investigators found 11 videos in his phone's deleted folder depicting six different people, at least three of whom were female employees of Flavor Frenzy, using the bathroom.

In one video, a female is shown "trying on different Flavor Frenzy T-shirts, completely exposing her breasts to the camera throughout the video." Detectives were able to identify the victim as a 16-year-old girl who worked at the ice cream shop, and allege that Weisberg asked her to try on and model different T-shirts for the business.

“The audacity of this alleged video recording scheme is appalling, and we commend Addison Police for their investigation,” Romanucci said.

Detectives also found two other videos on Weisberg's phone of yet-to-be identified female employees, one of whom is a minor, in various stages of undress and exposing private parts.

Since Weisberg's arrest, four additional minor female employees reported to police that he asked them to model T-shirts and told them to remove their bras so there would be no bra outline in the photos.

"Our clients are distressed that they may have been violated by a predator without their knowledge or consent, and we will use every means possible to understand what went down at that shop and examine all paths to accountability," Romanucci said.

An investigation into the allegations continues. The Addison Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact them at 630-543-3080.