Posted on 01/23/2004 5:46:40 AM PST by Arrowhead1952
Owner accused of improper photography or visual recording.
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, January 23, 2004
Employees and patrons filed in and out of the women's restroom at the popular Pango Tea Bar in downtown Austin throughout the night, never noticing that a basket near the toilet held more than a decorative plant.
Then a patron saw electronic equipment and got suspicious.
She brushed back the leaves and found a camera that police say was being used by the restaurant and bar's owner to watch women from a television in his nearby office.
"It's very surprising," said Detective Robby Godeaux, who works in the Police Department's high-tech crime unit and is investigating the Saturday evening discovery. "Everyone is very angry, and everyone feels violated."
Chien-Juo Kuo, 25, has been charged with improper photography or visual recording, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years behind bars. A state law that took effect in September 2001 prohibits such taping for sexual gratification.
Bail has been set at $10,000 for Kuo, who was being sought Thursday. Kuo's lawyer, Josh Schaffer of Houston, would not comment.
Police said they do not know how long the camera was in the bathroom or how many women were watched. They think it was there at least several hours on Saturday and have found about 20 women who have said they used the single-occupancy restroom that night.
"But the list keeps getting longer," Godeaux said. "Obviously, it is impossible to know everyone who used that restroom."
Investigators, who were notified early Tuesday about the camera's discovery, also were trying to determine whether videotapes of the women existed. They said they had not yet searched Kuo's office because they have been busy interviewing victims and putting their case together.
According to an arrest warrant on file Thursday, a customer found Pango's bar manager, Pearl Palacios, after leaving the restroom and told her about the camera in the plant.
Palacios went into the bathroom to see for herself.
"She found the camera hidden in the plant and touched it to see if it was real," the warrant said. "The camera was warm to the touch, indicating that it was turned on."
Palacios notified the manager, Natalie Trapp, who found a power cord leading from the camera to a padlocked closet a couple of feet away. She broke into the closet and saw that the camera was plugged in, the warrant said.
Kuo arrived a short time later, police said, and told the employees that the camera was his.
Godeaux said Kuo has a receiver for the camera connected to a television in his office.
Godeaux said the employees refused to return to work after the incident and that the restaurant at 718 Congress Ave. has been closed.
A sign on its front door now reads: "Sorry. We are temporarily closed. We apologize for any inconvenience."
Pango had been open since October 2001.
Several regular customers filed past its front door about noon Thursday and learned from reporters why it was closed.
"That's horrible!" Lindsay Davis said before walking away.
This jerk is on the run, and should be in jail.
Godeaux said Kuo has a receiver for the camera connected to a television in his office.
So the guy wasn't even there?
In other words, the tapes are already on the Internet or in a landfill.
There may be no evidence for the police to obtain now. If he had tapes or taken the images and posted them on the net, he could face serious charges.
Also, what if there were underage children he took pictures of. That could result in child pornography charges, IMO.
Exactly. See my post #6.
Chuck Berry does -- he got busted for the same thing about 10 years ago. I've never been able to listen to his music since then, without thinking of that!
Reminds me of Wanda Sykes and her "Towyard" crank call...
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