Fountain Hills man arrested, accused of installing camera in bathroom and recording people

Fountain Hills man accused of recording people surreptitiously

Investigators say Stephane Pepin installed a camera inside the bathroom of his photography studio, and a number of people were recorded while they were changing clothes or using the bathroom. FOX 10's Justin Lum reports.

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office say a Fountain Hills man has been arrested and accused of recording people inside a bathroom at a photography studio.

According to court documents, Stephane Pepin was arrested on Sept. 15 at his home in Fountain Hills, after two women reported to reported to MCSO of being surreptitiously recorded while at the Fountain Hills studio, which was identified as Showcase Theater.

The women, according to investigators, were working as compensated models on Sept. 12, and were changing inside the studio's bathroom when they noticed the recording device with an SD card inside.

"Both victims viewed the contents to the SD card and saw multiple videos on different dates of people in the bathroom changing, being nude, and utilizing the bathroom," read a portion of the court documents.

The women, according to investigators, also recognized themselves changing and being nude in some of the videos, and Pepin was also seen adjusting the camera angle in one video.

Pepin, officials say, admitted to placing a camera in the bathroom of the studio, as well as viewing people in the bathroom via a remote wireless device.

"Defendant stated the camera was placed for security purposes. However, [he] would access the camera and change the position in the bathroom for different angles," read a portion of the court documents.

Pepin, according to court documents, is accused of two counts of surreptitiously photographing, videotaping, filming, digitally recording or viewing, which is a felony. A judge has released Pepin without bail, and a preliminary hearing ha been scheduled for Oct. 6.