Modesto school custodian suspected of secretly video recording staff in restroom
A custodian at Robertson Road Elementary School was arrested Monday on suspicion of secretly video recording people inside a staff restroom at the school.
The camera was found at the west Modesto school on June 23 when a staff member put her hand on a desk inside the gender-neutral bathroom and the device fell to the floor, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear.
The woman notified Modesto City Schools administration, which called Modesto police on Monday after determining the device was used for video recording.
Modesto Police detectives arrested Leo Medina, 29, of Modesto, at the Human Resources department of the district offices.
“No other cameras were located at the school and this is an isolated incident,” said Modesto City Schools spokeswoman Julie Inacio. “As always, Modesto City Schools places a top priority on the safety of our staff and students.”
Neither Modesto police nor Modesto City Schools would say how Medina was identified as the suspect.
Bear said it has not yet been determined how long the video device was there or how many people were recorded.
Inacio said that, as with all district employees, Medina underwent a comprehensive background check before being hired. “His access to our site facilities was revoked,” Inacio said.
She did not immediately have information about how long he had been employed at the district but said he only worked at Robertson Road Elementary.
Medina was arrested on suspicion of using a hidden camera to record someone in a private area, a misdemeanor with a scheduled bail of $1,000. He is no longer in custody.
According the court case index, Medina was charged Tuesday and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 26.
This story was originally published June 30, 2022 at 4:16 PM.
