Columbus man faces 8 felonies for spying on girls | Crime and Courts

COLUMBUS — A 43-year-old Columbus man faces eight counts of unlawful intrusion involving two adolescent girls in connection with a police search of his family home last spring that uncovered hidden surveillance cameras planted in bathrooms that were used to spy on the young victims.

The defendant, who is not being named to protect the identity of the victims, is charged with eight Class IV felonies, each punishable by up to two years imprisonment, 12 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine.

The local man, who is free on bond, will be arraigned on the charges Friday in district court. He is under court order not to go within five blocks of the family home and have no contact with his wife or the five children in the home, three of whom are the defendant’s biological children.

A Columbus Police investigation began in mid-May with a report that the suspect installed video surveillance equipment inside the residence.

Officer Jeff Anderson wrote in his probable cause arrest statement that a family member reported finding a hidden tablet and memory card in one of the home’s bathrooms.

A police review of the digital storage card revealed videos of the defendant hiding cameras with views of the bathroom shower and toilet areas, the officer wrote.

A family member reported it was common for the suspect to spend hours in the bathroom, the officer wrote.

While Anderson was investigating the hidden surveillance system, the two teenage girls reported the defendant had molested them while they were sleeping during an overnight visit at the residence last winter. The defendant’s wife gave police permission to search the home.

Police found several covert recording devices and memory cards, laptop computers, tablets and flash drives while serving the search warrant.