TEMPE, Ariz. — A 28-year-old man was arrested Thursday after allegedly dropping a phone that was actively recording into the fitting room a teenage girl was using to try on clothes.
Officers with the Tempe Police Department responded to Arizona Mills at 3:30 p.m. where the incident happened.
According to the victim, she was inside one of the fitting room stalls at Forever 21 when she saw the person next to hers had placed a soda on the upper ledge of the stall. The victim told police she saw the phone fall from the ledge and onto the floor inside her changing room. She said the device was recording and she immediately stopped it, reviewed the phone’s photos and found several images of her undressed, police said.
The victim told a store employee who put the phone in a drawer until officers arrived.
Matthew Villalobos told police the phone belonged to him.
Police said Villalobos was asked to provide his password to unlock the phone, but gave officers incorrect codes.
A search warrant was issued to inspect the device, and investigators found images confirming the victim’s allegations.
Villalobos was arrested on scene and booked into jail on felony charges for surreptitious recording and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Police said the incident is an ongoing investigation and officers are working to determine if there are additional victims.
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