An Owensboro Target employee has been charged with video voyeurism after police allege he used a cell phone to record in the employee restroom, according to the Owensboro Police Department. Company officials said the employee has been terminated.
Jalen Calhoun, of Owensboro, faces one count of video voyeurism following an incident that occurred Sunday at Target. Calhoun turned 20 years old on Tuesday.
Target spokesman Brian Harper-Tibaldo said via email Thursday that Calhoun was fired.
“The safety of our team and guests is Target’s top priority, and we have no tolerance for this kind of behavior in our stores,” Harper-Tibaldo said. “We’ve terminated the team member involved and we’re cooperating with the Owensboro Police Department on their investigation. Due to the ongoing nature of that investigation, we’ll refer additional questions to law enforcement at this time.”
According to the OPD citation, an officer responded to Target (5151 Frederica Street), where store officials advised that an actively recording cell phone had been recovered in the employee restroom. Management said they thought the phone belonged to Calhoun.
Upon questioning, Calhoun first advised that the phone was not his, according to the report. He reportedly then told police that it was his phone but it had been stolen, and that he didn’t know why the phone was inside of the restroom.
According to the report, Calhoun gave OPD permission to look through the photographs and videos on his phone.
“Officer located in the recently deleted videos that Calhoun is on camera setting up the phone in the exact spot that it was located by staff,” the report reads. “Officer could see on the video that he was setting the phone up on an active video pointing the camera at the toilet in the restroom. Calhoun is seen in this video wearing the same shoes and clothing that he was currently wearing setting up the phone to record. … Calhoun used a camera on his cell phone to videotape for the purpose of viewing people use the restroom which could contain sexual material, genitals of male or female without their consent.”
According to the report, Calhoun can be seen on Target video surveillance leaving the restroom at approximately 3:34 p.m., the same time that the video was set to record. The phone was located in the restroom by another employee at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Police seized two cell phones and a watch that could contain further material for this investigation.
Calhoun was arrested and lodged at the Daviess County Detention Center. He was arraigned Monday and released from jail the next day after posting a $25,000 unsecured bond. Calhoun has a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
