A strange green light shining out of a bathroom floor vent in East El Paso ended with a 55-year-old man in handcuffs, according to investigators. On Jan. 20, a resident spotted the glow, pulled up the vent cover, and found what turned out to be a concealed recording unit hidden inside. Detectives later identified Gildardo Perez, who was arrested on June 9 and charged with four counts of invasive visual recording. He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a total bond of $100,000, and authorities say the investigation is still active.
How deputies say they found the device
Investigators say the case started when the resident noticed a small green light coming from the bathroom floor vent. After lifting the vent cover, they discovered what appeared to be a hidden recording device tucked inside. Detectives with the sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit obtained a search warrant to seize the unit, then conducted a forensic examination of the device to see what it contained and how it had been used. Those details were released by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by KFOX14.
Arrest and charges
Following the examination of the device, investigators identified 55-year-old Gildardo Perez as the person they believe placed and operated it. Perez was arrested on June 9 and faces four counts of invasive visual recording. He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with his bond set at $100,000. “The investigation remains ongoing,” the sheriff’s office said, according to KFOX14.
Legal implications
Perez is charged under Texas’s invasive visual recording statute, which makes it a criminal offense to record or photograph another person’s intimate areas without consent in a place where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. The offense is defined in Texas Penal Code §21.15, and legal summaries describe a conviction as typically prosecuted as a state-jail felony that can carry roughly 180 days to two years in state jail and fines up to $10,000, although penalties can vary if there are enhancements or additional charges. Those classifications and possible consequences are detailed in the statutory language and legal analysis from FindLaw.
Context: Hidden-camera cases locally
Hidden-camera arrests are not unheard of in the Borderland, and law enforcement officials have repeatedly said they treat these cases seriously because they involve intimate privacy. In 2023, for example, investigators arrested a man after concealed cameras were discovered in dressing rooms, a case covered by KVIA. Incidents like that one are part of the reason deputies urge people to keep an eye out for unfamiliar electronics in rental units, dressing rooms, shared bathrooms, and similar spaces, and to report anything that seems suspicious.
What to do if you find a device
If you stumble on a device that looks out of place, officials advise that you avoid handling or moving it more than necessary, try to photograph it where it is if you can safely do so, and then contact local law enforcement to report it. Preserving the scene helps detectives carry out forensic analysis and collect usable evidence. Potential victims can also ask about victim services through the sheriff’s office or the county’s victim-assistance programs. Local officials did not immediately offer additional comment beyond the statement released by the sheriff’s office to reporters.
This story will be updated if prosecutors file further charges or if the sheriff’s office releases new information.
