Thirty-five-year-old Joshua Gitlin hung his head in court on Friday as a victims’ advocate from the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center read a statement that was written by the mother of an 8-year old boy Gitlin recorded using the toilet.
“We feel very strongly that Joshua Gitlin be required to register as a sex offender. We think every parent should have the right to know if he is living next door,” the statement read.
Gitlin, of North Carolina, was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport last April after he held his cellphone over a bathroom stall and recorded video of the boy, who also lives out of state.
The child’s older brother and father were also in the restroom at the time.
According to police documents, the victim’s father tackled Gitlin and held him down until Port of Seattle police arrived and arrested him.
During Gitlin’s sentencing hearing at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent on Friday, Sr. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kathy Van Olst called the crime “an invasion of privacy in an area that we typically think of as safe: a bathroom. And it involves a minor.”
Gitlin pleaded guilty to one count of attempted voyeurism earlier this month as part of a plea deal.
On Friday, he said he was drunk and grieving the loss of his mother when he committed the crime.
Gitlin accepted responsibility, apologized to the boy and his family, who were not in court, and said he didn't know it was a child in the stall.
“I never meant to hurt anyone, especially not a child. However, that was the result,” Gitlin told King County Superior Court Judge Janet Helson. “I want to apologize to the victims. I never meant to hurt them, or the child. I know that they feel rage towards me."
According to Judge Helson’s ruling, Gitlin was sentenced to 30 days of work release through the King County jail and has been ordered to report by the end of April.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender in North Carolina, but he’ll be able to appeal to have that lifted after two years.
KIRO 7 spoke with the victim’s mother by phone after court. She said she’s disappointed Gitlin’s status as a registered sex offender may be lifted so soon, and plans to fight it if he makes an appeal.
Here's the victim's impact statement: