PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Fort Townsend State Park maintenance worker after he allegedly recorded a 13-year-old girl in one of the state park restrooms.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Ronald S. Gonzalo, 52, on suspicion of voyeurism Friday after investigating the incident, which occurred last week, Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez said.
Prior to the arrest, deputies seized digital disks and documents that suggested there could be other victims, Hernandez said.
“There’s a lot of material we’re going to have to go through,” he said.
Deputies were first called after the girl reported seeing someone’s hand holding a camera sticking through a vent near the floor of the state park bathroom stall she was using. The girl told a member of her church group, who called the sheriff’s office, Hernandez said.
Deputies found Gonzalo in a maintenance room near the restroom. He denied recording anyone with a camera.
During the week, however, deputies obtained a search warrant for the van where Gonzalo was living at the state park and seized a hard drive, disks and paper documents, Hernandez said.
About three hours after the seizure, Gonzalo went to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and admitted to filming the girl and four other individuals through the bathroom vent.
“Basically, I think he knew the game was over once we got the search warrant,” Hernandez said.
Gonzalo was booked into Jefferson County Jail. His first appearance is set for today. He did not appear to have a criminal record, Hernandez said.
Voyeurism is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Hernandez said the age of a voyeurism victim is taken into account when processing such a case, though there is no specific charge for voyeurism of a minor.