Oklahoma janitor accused of hiding cameras in TV station, school restrooms faces Peeping Tom charges
A janitor was accused Friday in a felony charge of hiding video cameras in air vents in restrooms at an Oklahoma City television station and a school.
Miguel Angel Sierra-Meza was charged in Oklahoma County District Court with 28 Peeping Tom counts.
He can be seen in videos from the cameras placing the devices in the vents at KOCO-TV and Guidepost Montessori at Brasswood, an Oklahoma City police detective reported in an court affidavit.
Police reported 26 victims were identified from the videos. Two were children.
The first recording device was discovered when a television station employee on March 31 noticed dust falling onto her lap from the ceiling, according to the affidavit. The employee was in the stall of the women's restroom at the time.
The victim looked up, noticed the device in the vent and notified her bosses, the detective reported. The second device was found in the staff restroom at the school after police began checking other businesses.
Sierra-Meza, 38, of Oklahoma City, was arrested April 1 when a cleaning crew returned April 1 to the television station. He remains in the Oklahoma County jail.
He has no attorney listed yet in court records to contact for comment.
Guidepost Montessori at Brasswood is in north Oklahoma City. It is one of more than 150 campuses in cities across the world providing education to children, according to the company's website.
In an April 2 email, a Guidepost Montessori senior regional manager told parents and staff that the contract with the janitorial services vendor had been terminated.
Police confirmed that adults, and not children, were the likely targets and "that this was very likely a solo operation," the senior regional manager wrote.
One of the victims at Guidepost Montessori already has hired Oklahoma City attorney Cameron Spradling. He is planning to sue City Wide Facility Solutions, a national company.
The attorney alleges Sierra-Meza was in the country illegally and was hired as a janitor because of negligent vetting practices.
"No organization can be allowed to endanger the public by placing convenience and cost savings over human safety," the attorney said.
Steve Carroll, owner of City Wide's Oklahoma City operation, said the individual was an employee of a subcontractor.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the folks that were affected by this," Carroll said. "It's very unfortunate but the gentleman who is charged is not an employee of City Wide Facility Solutions."
The crime of Peeping Tom becomes a felony rather than a misdemeanor in Oklahoma when recording equipment is used for "prurient, lewd or lascivious purpose."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Janitor accused of hiding cameras in restrooms at OKC TV station, school
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