Man says his ‘stupidity’ and ‘curiosity’ led to voyeurism and child porn charges
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RIGBY — Deputies have arrested a Jefferson County man for allegedly using a home security camera to secretly record a woman and a teenage girl in the shower.
Daniel J Hendrickson, 38, is charged with two felony counts of voyeurism and five felony counts of sex abuse of a child by making child pornography. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, Hendrickson told a Jefferson County Sheriff’s detective his “stupidity” and “curiosity” led him to place a wireless camera in a bathroom to record the woman and the teenage girl.
Investigators were tipped off about the wireless camera in the bathroom on April 6. A victim found the camera and brought it to deputies who uncovered multiple nude photographs of the woman and a teenage girl on them, according to charging documents.
Three days later, a detective met up with Hendrickson and told him he had enough probable cause to make an arrest and got a search warrant for his electronics. Hendrickson handed them over to investigators as they took him to the Sheriff’s Office for an interview.
Hendrickson told investigators he placed the small home security camera in the bathroom knowing the teenage girl would be in there to use the shower. It is in this interview, Hendrickson reportedly said he did it out of “curiosity” and left the camera in place for several months, according to court documents.
Investigators dug further into Henrickson’s history and asked him if he has done this before. According to court documents, Hendrickson said he had not used a hidden camera but had had sexual conversations with more than five underage girls on the Whisper app. The social media app allows users to post and share photo and video messages anonymously.
In the conversations, Hendrickson said he would send nude photos of himself to the girls and they sent him nude photos. Hendrickson said he also would talk about having sex with the juveniles, according to court documents.
A search of court records does not show any charges filed as of Tuesday afternoon for the reported illicit online conversations.
Hendrickson made his initial court appearance for the felony voyeurism and sex abuse charges stemming from the security camera on Tuesday.
Each count of voyeurism holds up to five years in prison if convicted. The sex abuse charges hold up to 25-years in prison.
Although Hendrickson is charged with crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.