A 57-year-old Kenner business owner is accused of secretly recording employees with a hidden camera concealed beneath a bathroom sink, and detectives say they are now investigating whether he planted similar devices at other businesses across the area. Henry Rios, who owns ETC Nola Signs on Bainbridge Avenue in Kenner, was booked with three counts of video voyeurism, according to Kenner Police.
The case broke open after a victim reported finding a secret camera under the bathroom sink at the business, according to Fox 8. Detectives say they also found Rios manipulating the position of the camera, and that he placed a separate device inside his own office. When police searched the business on September 17, they recovered three additional concealable surveillance cameras, including one made to look like an ordinary alarm clock.
Hundreds of Files Recovered From Digital Media
Investigators have identified three victims so far, and Kenner Police say additional counts are possible as the inquiry continues, per the same report. The seized evidence includes more than 500 photographs and videos, along with 13 thumb drives and five memory cards that detectives are still working through.
Rios owns ETC Nola, a sign and banner business. Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley has expressed concern that Rios may have hidden similar cameras at other businesses he worked with, and he has asked businesses to inspect restrooms, changing rooms and other private areas for suspicious devices.
What to Do if a Hidden Camera Turns Up
Police have released photographs of the devices recovered in the investigation and are asking anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may have been victimized, to call (504) 712-2222.
More recently, a former Jefferson Parish arson investigator faced a new video-voyeurism charge following a separate parish investigation, according to footage from WDSU, underscoring how frequently parish authorities have turned to digital forensic warrants to uncover hidden recording media in recent years.
Felony Charges Carry Sex Offender Registration
Under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:283, a first-offense conviction for video voyeurism is classified as a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000, according to legal analysis from the Barkemeyer Law Firm. Louisiana law also classifies video voyeurism as a sex offense under R.S. 15:541, meaning anyone convicted of the charge must register as a sex offender on the state registry, per the Louisiana State Police.
Kenner Police operate under Chief Conley.
For now, investigators say the scope of the case remains open. It is not yet known whether forensic analysis will turn up footage recorded at other businesses Rios worked with beyond his own sign shop, whether more victims will come forward beyond the three already identified, or what bond conditions and formal charges will be set as the case moves through Jefferson Parish court.
