A former youth swim coach has been arrested on multiple charges of voyeurism after evidence surfaced that he had been secretly recording young athletes in changing areas. David Laudati, aged 41, stands accused of capturing illicit footage of minors in a case that has sent ripples through the West Valley community.
The Buckeye Police Department was first alerted to Laudati's alleged activities on September 9, 2023, when, a parent stepped forward claiming their 14-year-old daughter discovered a cell phone left recording while she was changing at the Center on Main recreation facility. As reported by the City of Buckeye's official news release, the phone, found in a mesh pocket of Laudati's backpack, was positioned on a changing table capturing video.
Subsequent searches led to the seizure of Laudati's phone and other electronics at his residence in Goodyear, as per the City of Buckeye. Forensic investigation of these devices unearthed multiple images of female minors in states of partial or complete undress. The images were linked to both the Center on Main restroom and the Litchfield Park Recreation Center locker room. Throughout their inquiry, investigators discovered that Laudati had also been employed as a coach at Millenium High School in Goodyear. Initially, three victims aged between 14 and 17 were identified.
In July 2024, the gathered evidence prompted a Maricopa County Grand Jury to indict Laudati, on eight counts of attempt to commit voyeurism, and 11 counts of voyeurism, as detailed by the City of Buckeye. Coordinated efforts between Buckeye police and the U.S. Marshals Service culminated in his arrest on July 29, at a residence in Newington, Connecticut. His extradition to Maricopa County is pending, where he will face the charges laid against him.
