Arrest warrant issued for Gap store worker accused of photographing woman in changing room
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Charges have been filed and an arrest warrant has been issued for a Pittsburgh man accused of photographing a woman who was in a changing room while he was working at the Gap store in Shadyside.
According to police paperwork, 24-year-old Jimmy Almaraz had only been working at the store for three days prior to the incident that took place there in September.
Police say that a woman was using the changing room inside the basement level of the store when she saw a cell phone come from under the door to the room multiple times.
Camera footage from inside the store showed that Almaraz was the only person to go back and forth between the changing room area while the woman was in there.
Additional surveillance video showed Almaraz going down the steps towards the area multiple times, taking his phone out of his pocket each time.
Almaraz denied using his cell phone to take a picture of the woman when questioned by officers who were called to the store.
Officers then told Almarez they would seize his phone and get a search warrant for its contents.
While attempting to search Almaraz's recovered cell phone for evidence, detectives found that the device had been 'remotely wiped.'
After obtaining a search warrant for Almaraz's home, detectives found Google searches on a flip phone from the same day of the alleged incident at the store for things like "charges for videotaping customer without consent in changing room in Pennsylvania," "Is it Illegal to Record Someone Without Their Permission," and "video recording customers try rooms criminal charges penalty in pa."
An arrest warrant has been issued for Almaraz on charges including attempted invasion of privacy to photograph someone without their consent, tampering with evidence, and possessing instruments of a crime.
Gap said it couldn't comment but confirmed he no longer works there.
