"Camera hidden in Weston school’s bathroom" by Jaclyn Reiss | Globe Staff, December 20, 2013
A 24-year-old college intern working at The Gifford School in Weston was arrested this week on a charge of hiding a cellphone camera in a school bathroom, authorities said.
Stephano Stravoravdis, a Cambridge resident, was arraigned in Waltham District Court Monday on one count of setting up secret video, photo, or electronic surveillance of partial nudity, Weston police said.
Too bad he didn't work for the government. Then it's all under the guise of protecting you and yours.
Stravoravdis was arrested Monday morning after a school staff member found his cellphone hidden inside a paper bag with a hole in it in a bathroom about 10:15, authorities said. Stravoravdis worked at Gifford as part of his graduate studies at an area college, but authorities declined to specify which one.
The Gifford School is a private nonprofit school for students age 8 to 20 with behavioral or learning difficulties.
Police and school officials said no images of students were taken, but did not give any details on who or what may have been caught on camera.
Michael Bassichis, principal of the school, said Thursday that the cellphone was found in a bathroom used mainly by teachers and staff. He said the door is always locked and students need a staff member to let them in to use it.
Police used surveillance video to determine who went into the bathroom that morning, Bassichis said. He said police told him no students were on the video.
Bassichis said he did not think Stravoravdis, who had been working with the school since the beginning of the semester, had hidden a camera any other times. “We believe this is an isolated incident,” he said. “We don’t believe it was ongoing, nor do the police.”
Weston police said in a statement that they believe the incident was isolated. Police representatives did not comment any further on the case, citing an ongoing investigation.
School officials sent letters to parents this week notifying them of the situation, Bassichis said.
“We didn’t miss a heartbeat calling authorities, and [Stravoravdis] went willingly from the school to the police station,” Bassichis said.
Stravoravdis is on indefinite administrative leave from the school, he said.
--more--"
