ST. CLOUD, Minn. (WCCO) – Police said eight people were victims after someone planted a video camera in the bathroom of a St. Cloud shopping mall.
On Monday, Joshua Lavalle was arrested at his home in Rice, located just north of St. Cloud. He now faces a felony charge.
Police said the 24-year-old Lavalle placed a cell phone camera inside one of the Crossroads Mall’s family restrooms, near the food court, on Black Friday. Someone using the bathroom noticed the phone under a sink with the red light flashing. He removed the phone and gave it to police.
On Wednesday, police said they believed eight people were victims in the case, but they couldn’t identify any of them because of where the camera was placed.
A police representative said they believe it’s possible some other businesses outside of the mall may also be victims of Lavalle.
They were granted a search warrant to search Lavalle’s phone and found several photos and videos. Police then contacted Lavalle’s girlfriend who said they were at Crossroads Mall on Nov. 25 and during that time Lavalle left to use the restroom several times. She told police he said he wasn’t feeling well.
Police say of the victims recorded in the family restroom, at least two appeared to be young boys and four were women.
