LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused of filming up girls’ skirts at a Groveland Publix was found guilty in court Wednesday.
Dr. Akram Ismail was arrested last July outside a Groveland Publix.
He was convicted Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge of video voyeurism and then sentenced to four months in jail.
Investigators said he put his phone underneath Amy Armstrong’s dress and tried to take pictured and video.
The victim wore that dress to court Wednesday and attorneys reenacted the events leading up to Ismail’s arrest.
“I would not wish this on my worst enemy because it’s awful to be violated,” said Armstrong.
At the time of the crime, a store manager joined several witnesses who told police that the Leesburg doctor was recording video up the skirts of female shoppers.
Police said they found the video on Ismail’s phone after he tried to deny the accusations and he then told officers that he "had a problem.”
That confession, which was caught on police body camera video, was thrown out of court.
“Obviously the jury came back with a misdemeanor, which salvages his ability to practice medicine in the state of Florida,” said defense attorney Scott Richardson. “He will be practicing medicine again.”
Richardson said since Ismail wasn’t convicted of a felony, once he served his time, he will work to get his career back on track.
Ismail isn’t currently practicing because he voluntarily agrees to stop upon his arrest.
The victim said the incident has changed her life forever.
"I'm always looking over my shoulder now. I'm always paranoid, wondering if something like this is going to happen again.
She added that a guilty verdict does bring her some closure.
Ismail spent time in jail in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill a former business partner seven years ago.