A former chief photographer at News 9 in Oklahoma City is facing a slate of felony charges after investigators say hidden cameras were discovered inside the station’s private dressing rooms. Authorities allege the recordings captured people in various states of undress and that a newsroom supervisor had access to the equipment used in the recordings.
Police filed an affidavit this month that lists 21 felony counts and identifies seven victims, according to The Oklahoman. The affidavit names Darrell Lee Vannostran, 40, and charges him under Oklahoma law with the clandestine use of photographic or video equipment in private places.
Investigators say the probe began March 24, when janitorial staff discovered two small cameras and portable battery packs mounted with Velcro beneath clothing racks inside separate dressing rooms. A forensic review of SD cards and other devices allegedly turned up matching footage, and timestamps along with device activity logs helped detectives narrow the activity to one suspect, authorities told Fox News.
Griffin Media, which owns KWTV News 9, said it contacted police when the devices were found and has cooperated with investigators. "Our priority is the safety and privacy of our employees," Houston Hunt, Griffin’s vice president of marketing, told Fox News, adding that the company could not comment further because it is a personnel matter.
What the law says
Under Oklahoma law, using photographic or video equipment in a clandestine manner in a place where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy is a felony. A conviction carries up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. See Justia for the full text of Title 21, §21-1171 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
How this fits a larger pattern
Hidden-camera prosecutions have appeared across Oklahoma in recent years, including a 2025 case in which a former Tulsa firefighter was convicted on multiple peeping-Tom and related counts after recordings were recovered from his home. That case highlighted how digital forensics and timestamps are increasingly central to these investigations, according to KJRH. The News 9 probe has renewed workplace-privacy concerns at local stations and in other public workplaces.
Prosecutors have filed the affidavit and the investigation remains active. Reports indicate Vannostran was arrested at his home in Moore and initially held on bond. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Oklahoma City Police Department, officials said.
