Arizona school worker allegedly accessed a security camera that was supposed to be disabled and downloaded videos of students changing; he now faces 7 voyeurism charges
A surveillance officer working for the Tempe Union High School District has been arrested and charged with seven counts of voyeurism after allegedly using school security cameras to watch and download footage of female students changing clothes. The suspect, identified in police and court records as Antony Nikai Cruz, was arrested after an internal review of the district’s security camera system found unauthorised access to video feeds and downloads to external devices. According to a probable cause statement and reports by local news outlets AZ Family and ABC15 Arizona, the incident happened at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona. The camera involved was monitoring a temporary changing area for female students while the school’s main girls’ locker room was closed for building renovations.
Internal audit leads to police investigation
The alleged misuse was discovered during routine checks of the security system rather than through a complaint from a student or parent. On 21 August, a security supervisor reviewed the system’s activity logs and noticed unusual views of video feeds and several file exports linked to Cruz’s account. The supervisor immediately contacted the Tempe Police Department, which opened a criminal investigation. Cruz was detained on 22 August and booked into the Tempe City Jail. Investigative records cited by local news outlets say the security system’s download history showed several video files being transferred to external storage devices, including USB drives. Digital investigators also traced cloud access to the security system to an IP address linked to Cruz’s home. During police questioning, Cruz admitted accessing the camera feeds and downloading the footage for personal use. However, he denied trying to sell, trade or share the recordings with other people. After his first court appearance, a judge set his bond at $100,000.
School district responds to families
Tempe Union High School District Superintendent Stacia Wilson confirmed the charges in a message sent to parents and staff. She also addressed the police investigation taking place at the school. “As you know from my prior message, yesterday we were notified that a Tempe Union employee was detained and questioned by Tempe PD. This employee has now been booked on seven counts of voyeurism,” Wilson wrote in the district message, as reported by the Arizona Daily Independent. “We know that this is a distressing situation and these details are unsettling to our families. We want to be as transparent as we are allowed to be without disrupting Tempe PD’s investigation.” Wilson said the district currently believes the alleged misuse was limited to one camera at Corona del Sol High School. “We are now able to share with you that the incidents leading to these charges affected Corona del Sol. As of right now, we believe that the inappropriate usage of security footage was isolated to one camera on campus,” Wilson stated. “We are working closely and in full cooperation with Tempe PD as they continue to investigate and identify victims.” District officials said police officers and school crisis teams would remain on campus to support students and provide counselling and other resources. Detectives are reviewing video records to identify all students who may have been filmed. “Tempe PD detectives will be on campus tomorrow to work with administration to identify the victims,” Wilson added. “Once victims have been identified, Tempe PD will reach out directly to affected families to begin the interview process. Our school and District crisis teams will be in place tomorrow to provide support and resources to affected students.”
Charges and investigation
The Tempe Police Department said it takes the misuse of school security systems seriously and stressed the importance of protecting students and staff. “The Tempe Police Department takes the unauthorized use of security footage seriously. Protecting the privacy and safety of students, staff and the school community remains a priority,” the department said in a statement published by YourValley.net. Under Arizona law, voyeurism is a Class 5 felony under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-3019. The law prohibits secretly viewing, filming or recording someone without consent in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, including changing rooms, bathrooms and locker rooms. A Class 5 felony conviction in Arizona can carry between six months and 2.5 years in state prison for each count, along with fines of up to $150,000. The Tempe Union High School District operates six high schools serving more than 12,000 students across Maricopa County. The district said it will continue reviewing its IT systems and security camera checks as the criminal case moves through the Maricopa County court system. Police detectives are still investigating the case, including the timeline of the alleged recordings and whether additional files may exist on seized devices.
