Louisiana man charged for allegedly filming girls in bathroom

A Louisiana man accused of video voyeurism was reportedly having a difficult time making bail in Bossier Parish. His legal troubles began in late January, when authorities discovered that he had allegedly placed video cameras in bathrooms used by teenage girls who were having a sleepover. It was not clear what led authorities to suspect this activity, but police say he videotaped juvenile girls and an unidentified adult woman while they purportedly were in a bathroom at the man’s residence in Haughton. The sex crimes charges that resulted initially included 17 counts of video voyeurism and four allegations of child pornography involving juveniles.

The investigation continued. An Internet sex crimes unit of the Bossier City Marshal’s Office, in cooperation with the Bossier sheriff’s office and Haughton Police Department, searched computers confiscated from the home of the accused man. Authorities say the computers contained child pornography images and further evidence of video voyeurism. That led to additional sex crime charges. In all, the man currently stands accused of some 40 counts of video voyeurism and child pornography.

Held at the Bossier Maximum Security Facility, his bail was originally set at $270,000 bond, on the specific condition that he not reside in the state of Louisiana pending his release. This unusual element of the bail order was said to have been for the man’s own protection. A subsequent application to reduce the bail bond by $70,000 was denied, though the residency condition was amended to permit the man to reside in Caddo Parish, should he make bail. A trial has been scheduled for Sept. 24.

No other details of the sex crimes charges were provided, and the information in a news report appears to have been collected largely from court records and interviews with public officials. As the criminal proceedings head toward trial, the accused man will have an opportunity to challenge the factual allegations and physical evidence the district attorney seeks to present against him.

Source: Shreveport Times, “Bail reduction denied in video voyeurism case,” Loresha Wilson, July 17, 2102