Rapides DA bills former gym trainer accused of putting cameras in bathroom

The Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office has billed Shane Carruth, 29 of Alexandria, with 95 counts of video voyeurism following his September 2018 arrest where he is alleged to have placed cameras in the women's restroom of a local gym.

Carruth faces 85 counts of video voyeurism for allegedly using a "camera/cell phone for the purpose of videotaping a person, without consent for a lewd purpose" between the dates of July 1, 2018, and August 31, 2018.

He also faces eight counts of video voyeurism under age 17 for the same allegations occurring the same dates, as well as two counts of video voyeurism with nudity for the same allegations occurring the same dates.

The case will next head to a grand jury. A lawyer for Carruth was not listed at the Rapides Parish Clerk of Court's Office, but Cheryl Carter was listed as prosecutor.

On July 12, 2018, the Alexandria Police Department was contacted by the owner of CrossFit South Bank who had discovered a suspicious device inside a women’s restroom.

According to police, the device had the appearance of a phone charging block but had a small lens on the outside and a micro SD card slot. The camera device was taken as evidence and was analyzed, and several photos and video images were found on the device, however, there was no physical evidence that linked a suspect to the crime.

Detectives began investigating the matter and a person of interest was developed. Detectives contacted the person and interviewed him, however, at the time, there was not sufficient probable cause to charge him with a crime.

On August 29, 2018 detectives were alerted to a second recording device located at the same gym. This device had the appearance of an activity tracking bracelet and was collected as evidence. On the same day, detectives identified the suspect and were able to obtain a search warrant for his house. During the search, two computers were collected as evidence for forensic analysis.

Detectives enlisted the help of the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office for forensic extraction of evidence from the computers. One computer was processed on August 30, 2018, however, it yielded no evidence. The second computer, processed on September 6, 2018, obtained 95 videos of women inside the gym. There are approximately 32 separate females depicted. According to police, it is apparent that none are aware they are being recorded.

On September 6, 2018, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Carruth. He was located at his home and booked into the parish jail. Bond was set at $144,000. He posted bond four days later.