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Utah landlord suspected of voyeurism after police find secretly recorded videos of tenants

SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City landlord has been arrested on suspicion of using hidden cameras to record his tenants during private moments.

Larry Phillips, 69, surrendered Monday to authorities, who are investigating him for 13 counts of voyeurism by electronic device and seven counts of burglary, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, noting the suspect is believed to have entered his tenants’ bedrooms without their knowledge or permission.

According to police, investigators discovered “voyeurism videos” recorded over the past several years featuring Phillips’ tenants undressing, having sex and using the bathroom. Although most of the victims were young, male tenants, “females, visitors and even (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) missionaries” were also recorded, the newspaper reported.

As of Jan. 4, detectives have found more than 320 voyeuristic videos from Phillips’ devices, KUTV reported.

Multiple tenants filed reports with police after finding hidden cameras in their bedrooms, the TV station reported.

The cameras, the victims stated, were identical in appearance to an iPhone charger block except for being black instead of white in color, KUTV reported.

“On the face of the charger, directly above the USB port, which fully functions as a charger for any USB device, was a small camera lens,” the affidavit states. “The cameras work by motion detection and record both video/audio files to a mini SD card which is accessible from the back of the charger.”

In addition, the investigation also revealed Phillips is a registered sex offender, who pleaded guilty in 2015 to felony charges of forcible sex abuse related to a January 2002 incident in St. George, Utah. Four years later, he was arrested again on a misdemeanor charge of offensive touching, KUTV reported.

According to police, Phillips told detectives he had four security cameras in his home — two in his private bedroom and two in an art studio. However, he denied using the cameras for anything other than home security, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Police have identified and interviewed 13 victims to date, and there are “still several outstanding victims who detectives have not been able to identify/locate,” the newspaper reported.


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