Mesa police are asking the public to help identify two possible victims who may have been secretly photographed through a bathroom window, after investigators uncovered a stash of images during a months-long case in east Mesa. The investigation began in February when a family reported seeing someone outside a bathroom window at their home. Detectives later arrested 42-year-old Erik Contos in connection with the photos, and he now faces multiple felony charges, according to police.
How Investigators Say It Happened
According to the Mesa Police Department, officers were called around 10:20 p.m. on Feb. 10 to a home in the 3000 block of South Massey. A caller reported seeing a man inside the fenced backyard who appeared to be recording a juvenile family member who was in the bathroom. Detectives obtained a search warrant on Feb. 16 and seized the suspect's cellphone for forensic analysis, the department says.
What Investigators Found On The Phone
As reported by AZFamily, investigators recovered eight photos taken through a bathroom window. The images showed three people tied to the original reporting family, with some pictures showing them clothed and others partially nude. Detectives say they were able to identify two of the people in those images, but they also found two additional photos that appear to show other, still-unidentified individuals.
Arrests And Charges
ABC15 reports that Contos was first booked on Feb. 19 on charges that include burglary, eight counts of surreptitious photographing and nine counts of voyeurism. He was later released after posting a $75,000 cash bond. According to the station, Contos was rearrested on March 6 and is now also facing charges that include sexual exploitation of a minor and one additional surreptitious-photographing count.
Police Seeking Public Tips
The Mesa Police Department has shared redacted versions of the images and is asking anyone who recognizes the bathrooms or can help identify the people shown to call (480) 644-2211 or email Detective Christopher at [email protected]. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, the department says.
What Arizona Law Says
Arizona law treats secret photography in private spaces as a felony. ARS 13-3019 prohibits surreptitious photographing in bathrooms and other locations where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and also bars sharing or distributing images taken that way. The count added in March, sexual exploitation of a minor, is defined in ARS 13-3553 and carries significantly higher potential penalties when a minor is involved.
How The Public Can Help
Local coverage that brought this latest update to light comes from FOX 10 Phoenix. Investigators say that even a small tip - a memory of a particular bathroom, a detail about the layout or a possible name - could be enough to identify the people in the photos and move the case forward.
