Man accused of taking 'up skirt' photos
KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years AGO
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | September 15, 2023 1:07 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — A Florida man is facing a felony charge after he allegedly took photos under the skirts of teen girls without their knowledge.
Robert A. Andrews, 33, of Daytona, Fla., is charged with video voyeurism by use of a device.
The charge stems from August, when a Target employee told Coeur d’Alene police he had observed a man, later identified as Andrews, use a cellphone to take a photo up a girl’s skirt while shopping.
Police reviewed surveillance footage, which appeared to show Andrews follow two teen girls into an aisle with cellphone in his hand.
Andrews allegedly approached the girls, extended the phone toward one of them and bent down as he walked past her, then continued walking into the next aisle. He later repeated the action in a different aisle, according to court records.
Investigators used the surveillance footage to identify the people involved, including Andrews and the 16-year-old girl he allegedly photographed.
Police obtained a warrant for Andrews’ arrest, as well as a search warrant for his cellphone, which reportedly yielded numerous “up skirt” photos taken at Target in Coeur d’Alene, as well as in Super 1 Foods in Athol on a different day.
In addition to the photos taken in Kootenai County, police said the phone contained more than 200 similar photos taken over a period of about 10 months.
In 2019, Andrews was charged with voyeurism in Florida.
“The verdict was no contest and adjudication was withheld,” court documents said.
At a preliminary hearing Aug. 31, an investigating officer who was expected to testify failed to show and prosecutors were unable to present the photos taken off Andrews’ phone. As a result, a judge dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of evidence. Prosecutors filed a new case the next day.
In court Thursday, Andrews waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors indicated they are working toward a plea agreement in the case.
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