PITTSBURGH — Authorities arrested a Westmoreland County man early Thursday morning and accused him of using a “spy camera” on two girls while they changed into bathing suits at a hotel in Station Square.
Police said 58-year-old Louis Wilt is charged with sexual abuse of children by videotaping and invasion of privacy.
The girls, both under 16 years old, told police they were changing into their bathing suits in the bathroom of their room at the Sheraton at Station Square when they noticed the blinking red device with a tiny camera lens.
Police said one of the girls then called her mother, who notified hotel security. Hotel officials called police shortly after midnight.
Police later learned from Wilt's wife that he had ordered such a device earlier this week, using her online Amazon shopping account.
According to the criminal complaint, Wilt’s wife said she asked him what was on his keychain and he told her the spy camera was for the garage door opener.
Wilt remains in the Allegheny County Jail, where he is awaiting arraignment.
“If he does plead guilty or if he’s found guilty by a jury of his peers, he’s looking at substantial time behind bars – probably a two-to-four-year sentence,” WPXI legal analyst Phil DiLucente said.
Tom Hardy, the general manager of the Sheraton, told Channel 11’s Alan Jennings, “This is a troubling matter involving a guest, and we’re leaving it in the capable hands of the Pittsburgh police.”
Channel 11’s news exchange partners at TribLIVE and The Associated Press contributed to this report.