Des Moines man faces 88 charges for allegedly hiding camera in porta-potty at cross country meet
By KCCI Staff
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A Des Moines man already facing charges for allegedly hiding a camera in a portable toilet during an event at Water Works Park now faces nearly 90 more for a similar incident in Marshall County.
Video above: Man hid camera inside porta-potty toilet at Des Moines event; similar case reported at cross country meet
Tyler Pavlick, 32, is accused of capturing visual and audio footage of people using the toilet inside a porta-potty during a middle school and high school cross country meet in September. West Marshall schools hosted the meet Sept. 23 at Lincoln Valley Golf Course near State Center, where seventh- through 12th-grade athletes from 10 schools competed.
Those schools are:
Ankeny Christian Academy
Lynnville-Sully
Colo-Nesco
East Buchanan
South Hamilton
Collins-Maxwell
Nevada
West Marshall
Baxter
Colfax Mingo
According to court documents, “(Pavlick) knowingly and unlawfully installed a video camera inside the toilet bowl tank of a portable toilet that was installed on the cross-country course for participants and spectators.”
Authorities say the camera was in operation for about 1 hour at the meet, from 3:39 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. when it was discovered and removed. Investigators say there are audio and video depictions of dozens of people (both children and adults) “in states of nudity that include standard ways a person utilizes the restroom.”
In total, Pavlick has been charged with 36 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and 52 counts of invasion of privacy in Marshall County.
Marshall County authorities ask anyone who used the porta-potty near the starting line at the cross country meet to contact them through marshallcountysheriff.com/crime_tips.
He has also been charged with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of invasion of privacy from a similar case in Des Moines. Police say he hid a camera in a porta-potty Saturday, Oct. 4, during the Harvest & Handmade event at Water Works Park.
If you attended the Harvest & Handmade event and believe you may have been recorded while using a portable toilet, you’re encouraged to contact Des Moines police at FCS@DMGOV.org. Authorities say evidence shows the device was in place for about six hours, beginning just before 10 a.m.
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