CANUTILLO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — A 55-year-old man is facing multiple charges of invasive visual recording months after a hidden camera was discovered by a family member inside a bathroom floor vent in Canutillo, showing several people being recorded without their knowledge.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office arrested Gildardo Perez on June 9 and charged him with four counts of invasive visual recording six months after the investigation into the hidden camera began.
According to complaint affidavits obtained by KFOX14/CBS4, deputies were dispatched shortly before midnight on Jan. 20 to a Canutillo residence in the 500 block of Talbot Avenue after a family member reported finding what appeared to be a hidden camera inside a bathroom floor vent.
Court documents state the camera was allegedly positioned toward the shower area, with investigators stating the device consisted of a small camera connected to wiring, a micro SD card adapter, and a portable battery pack.
According to affidavits, the camera was discovered after another family member noticed a green light coming from inside the vent while brushing their teeth. After removing the vent cover, the family member allegedly found the recording equipment, cut the cable with a knife, and notified other family members before deputies arrived.
The Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit later took over the investigation and obtained a search warrant to conduct a forensic examination of a SanDisk 64GB micro SD card recovered from the device, court records show.
Detectives reported that the forensic review uncovered videos allegedly depicting multiple individuals inside the bathroom.
Investigators stated they were also able to identify Perez in footage recovered from the memory card and alleged that videos showed him manipulating the camera and vent system.
According to investigators, Perez denied any knowledge of the camera when deputies initially contacted him at the residence.
Perez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a total bond of $100,000, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
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