Emmy Winner Allegedly Hid Cameras in Dressing Rooms

An Oklahoma City TV station is at the center of a criminal investigation after police say a former staffer secretly recorded people in its dressing rooms. Authorities arrested Emmy-winning photojournalist Darrell Lee Vannostran, 40, on a felony complaint accusing him of using hidden cameras in private areas at KWTV, also known as News 9, per the Oklahoman. In a court affidavit, investigators say they found cached images on his personal phone that appeared to come from cameras concealed in station dressing rooms, showing people in "various stages of undress."

Police say the probe began March 24, when janitorial staff at the downtown station discovered two small cameras and battery packs hidden beneath clothing racks. Detectives say they matched access logs for station doors with times the cameras were moved or accessed to identify a suspect. Vannostran—who court documents indicate was in charge of KWTV's photography and videography department, per the New York Post—was arrested Tuesday at his home in Moore and is being held on $25,000 bond. He has not been formally charged.

Griffin Media, which owns KWTV, said it contacted police immediately after the devices were found and is cooperating with the investigation. "Our priority is the safety and privacy of our employees," vice president of marketing Houston Hunt said in a statement naming Vannostran, whom he described as a "former employee." The company did not specify when or how Vannostran's employment ended. The case comes a year after a different Oklahoma City station, KOCO, dealt with a separate hidden-camera incident. A janitor was charged with dozens of counts after devices were allegedly found in a restroom at the station and at a school.