JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police say a local IT worker was secretly recording women at the nonprofit where he worked.
The religious non-profit on Spring Park Road, Go to Nations, trains missionaries.
Action News Jax Nicholas Brooks managed to get the suspect, 52-year-old Joel Vergara, on the phone, but he hung up as soon as we asked about the allegations.
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Police say the investigation first began in September, when one of Vergara’s coworkers spotted a cellphone camera lense under the door of the women’s bathroom inside the building.
The victim told police she confronted Vergara, and discovered he had used the camera to record multiple videos, including one showing his red shoes walking toward the restroom. To cover his tracks, JSO says he tampered with security footage and removed SD cards.
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Neighbors in the area couldn’t believe what police said was happening, inside a nonprofit with such a positive goal.
“Why would you do that, just to get your jollies off?” said one local, Zerimar Ramirez.
Investigators say they found several voyeuristic videos on Vergara’s devices, some of which were sent to an email address linked to him.
Vergara was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.
Just last week, Action News Jax told you about a man accused of using hidden cameras to spy on women in a house.
At the time, a spycam expert demonstrated ways to check for them in your home, work, or hotel room.
“Just be aware and look for suspicious holes,” said Flicker Thomas. “Like if you see a wall, and suddenly there’s a little black spot that looks like a hole, it could be a pinhole camera.”
Vergara was suspended without pay, resigned, and his electronic devices were seized for further investigation.
Police say they are still investigating the case.
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