What began as a single voyeurism arrest in Geneva has exploded into a sprawling felony case, with prosecutors now accusing a St. Charles man of secretly recording hundreds of women across the western suburbs over the course of several years.
Jascent M. Harvey, 30, is now facing 51 felony counts tied to what investigators say are unauthorized "up-skirt" videos and child sexual abuse material uncovered during a forensic review of his phone. He was charged with the new counts on March 25 and remains in the Kane County jail, according to court records. Harvey also has a separate burglary and unauthorized recording case, with a bench trial scheduled for May 21.
New felony counts and what they allege
The March 25 filing lays out a wide-ranging set of allegations. Prosecutors charged Harvey with two counts alleging moving depictions of child sexual abuse material, six counts of reproduction of child sexual abuse material, eight counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, two counts of unauthorized recording through or under clothing and 33 counts of videotaping a person’s intimate parts, according to Shaw Local.
The charges outline conduct that prosecutors say stretched across several communities and multiple years. If the allegations are proved in court, the most serious counts could carry significant prison time.
Forensic search uncovered hundreds of files
According to investigators, the case escalated after the Geneva Police Department’s digital forensics team combed through Harvey’s phone. That search allegedly turned up more than 400 unauthorized up-skirt videos recorded between 2017 and 2025 at retail stores, libraries, banks and government buildings across the western suburbs. The department publicly disclosed the discovery last November and urged anyone who thinks they might be depicted in the videos to contact detectives, as detailed in a Geneva Police Department news release.
What the counts mean under Illinois law
The two counts alleging moving depictions of child sexual abuse material are charged as Class X felonies, the highest felony level in Illinois short of murder. Under Illinois sentencing guidelines, a Class X conviction typically carries a prison term of 6 to 30 years, with the possibility of extended terms in some circumstances, according to the Illinois Courts.
Where the case stands now
Harvey was first arrested on October 3 after Geneva detectives say he secretly recorded a woman at a store in Geneva, leading to his initial booking into the Kane County Jail, court records state. He was released after early court proceedings but was again in custody as of March 27. He is expected to return to court on the new set of charges and still has a bench trial scheduled for May 21 in connection with the earlier burglary and recording case, according to Shaw Local.
Officials urge potential victims to come forward
With hundreds of alleged victims potentially scattered across the region, Geneva police and prosecutors are asking people to come forward if they think they may have been recorded. Authorities have directed tips and information to [email protected], according to NBC Chicago.
Law enforcement officials say that cases like this increasingly hinge on advanced digital forensics and cooperation among agencies, tools that help investigators connect specific files to alleged offenders and identify possible victims, a trend covered by local outlets including ABC7 Chicago.
