Hidden Bathroom Camera Leads to 15-Year Federal Sentence
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — An Evansville man will serve 15 years in federal prison after a victim discovered a hidden camera disguised in her bathroom, exposing years of illicit recording.
Jason Donald Brenton, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman following a guilty plea to two counts of production and attempted production of sexually explicit material involving minors. In addition to his 15-year prison term, Brenton will serve five years of supervised release.
According to federal court records, the investigation began on November 3, 2023, when a 19-year-old woman reported to the Evansville Police Department that she had uncovered a hidden camera inside her bathroom. After removing the device’s Micro SD card, she discovered video files depicting her fully nude. The recordings spanned several years, originating when she was still a minor.
After confronting Brenton—who admitted to placing the camera—the victim alerted authorities. A subsequent forensic search of Brenton’s cell phone, laptop, and memory card by the Evansville Police Department and the FBI yielded more than 100 videos and 60 nude images of the primary victim, along with explicit footage and images of her underage boyfriend.
“This defendant violated the privacy and trust of vulnerable victims in the most egregious way, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. Wheeler praised the victim’s “remarkable courage” in confronting Brenton and coming forward to police.
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley emphasized the severity of covert recording, stating that hidden cameras and secret exploitation “rob children of their privacy, dignity, and sense of security.” The joint investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Evansville Police Department, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Scott Kemper.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
