Crime & Safety

D.A.: Sleepy Hollow Man Took Lewd Images Under Women's Skirts at Target

Jose Piedra was arraigned in Westchester County Court on 14 counts of unlawful surveillance.

A Sleepy Hollow man was arraigned Tuesday in Westchester County Court on charges of recording images under women's skirts in the .

Jose Piedra, 48, of Kendall Ave. was observed on Aug. 22, 2011, by Target store security placing his cellphone under unsuspecting female shoppers' skirts and taking pictures and video, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office. Security alerted White Plains police, who watched the store's surveillance video and were able to locate Piedra still in the store continuing his actions.

“When they returned to the security office, police were informed the defendant had been observed repeating his actions with another woman while police were looking for him,” said Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore.

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After obtaining a warrant, police found several video clips on Piedra's phone. 

Piedra was charged with 14 counts of second-degree Unlawful Surveillance, a class "E" felony, "relating to the illegal photographing of a person’s intimate parts for his own sexual purposes," said DiFiore.

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Piedra could face up to four years in state prison for each count against him. He is scheduled to appear in County Court on May 8. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lopez, Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau.

Note: This information does not indicate a conviction.


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