Video Voyeurs: Seeing is Believing

Video voyeurism, the filming of a person without their knowledge or consent, has exploded onto the crime scene. If you haven't read my article "Video Voyeurism: Hidden Cameras in Your Home" yet, start there. If you have read it already and had a good laugh at my "paranoia", by all means, read on.

Technology has advanced so quickly that discreet surveillance equipment once intended for corporations, law enforcement and private investigators has made its way into the hands of the everyday Joe. Just what is Joe supposed to do with these sneaky little gadgets? Time for some fun.

Here's some of the "fun" video voyeurs have been having the last few years that landed them in trouble with the law. Keep in mind; these are only a few of the ones who have been caught and this list does not include the hundreds of pornographic websites where voyeurs upload their material for monetary gain.

Louisiana - 42 year old James Boudreaux installed a wireless camera he purchased from Radio Shack for $20 in his 18 year old stepdaughter's bedroom in order to film her and her friends in various states of undress. Mr. Boudreaux was caught when his stepdaughter walked in his room to give him some cigarettes. She found him with a pair of her panties on his face while masturbating to one of his many videos of her in her room. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6158933.html

Florida - 54 year old Gerald DeJoseph, a band director at Switzerland Point Middle School, was arrested for taking more than 100 digital "upskirt" photographs of his students while they practiced their instruments in his office. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/031406VideoVoyeur.html

Idaho - 59 year old Dr. William Fouche, a gynecologist and former Navy Seal, set up cameras in his bathroom in order to tape the females in his home and those who visited while showering and changing. He was found with numerous videos of the 17 year old exchange student living in his home as well as many patients and young female visitors from his church, where he was considered a devout member. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/idaho/story.asp?ID=101797&page=2

Wisconsin - 28 year old Steven John H., whose full name was withheld because his wife was one of his victims, installed surveillance equipment in his bathroom and guest bedroom in order to film his family members and guests. He was outted when a visiting male family member discovered a camera in the shower vent while he was showering. Several videos were found along with a workstation equipped with a TV and videocassette recorder. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=8406

Louisiana - Michael Batiste was arrested for filming himself and his girlfriend having sex without her consent. She later discovered the videos after the couple had parted ways. www.lasc.org/opinions/2006/05K1571.pdf

Washington - 38 year old Mark Lee Schnettler was arrested for filming underage females showering in his home. 21 videotapes were found padlocked in his home. In addition, pornographic films of children having sex with adults were found on the same tapes. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4186/is_20040922/ai_n11704839

Florida - Daniel Searfoss, 43, wired a hidden camera into his sneakers which was connected to a video recorder in his bag in order to film "upskirts" of women while he walked around shopping centers, church and even his probation office. 45 videotapes were located and he was arrested again for the same charge he was on probation for; video voyeurism. http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,49054,00.html

Florida - Kevin Michael Moncla secretly videotaped guests and his ex-wife through ceiling vents while they used his restroom and guest house. He was ordered to pay damages of $3.25 million dollars to his victims after his ex-wife found the video recorder and numerous tapes hidden under his bed. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/030906VoyeurismSuit.html

Ohio - James Rogers was charged with taping over 650 tenants of his apartment complex while they showered and dressed. He had been filming his tenants since 1996 which resulted in stacks and stacks of video tapes police were able to locate. He had disguised his cameras as smoke alarms and used pinhole spy cams in the ceilings. Unfortunately, before Mr. Rogers was sentenced, he shot himself. The charges were dropped. www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/10/02/loc_oh-voyeur02dg.html

Britain - Italian-born Francesco Vitetta was charged with video voyeurism after it was discovered the Croydon house he was renting to foreign students was fully wired with hidden surveillance equipment. He filmed them in all of their daily activities without their knowledge or consent. http://iccroydon.icnetwork.co.uk/news/headlines

And the list goes on and on. Google returned over 240,000 hits in my search for video voyeur news items. The technology is there. People are using it.

Just when you thought you were safe...