Professor accused of secretly recording roommate, student in bathroom

(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -On Wednesday, the Coeur d'Alene Police Department received a call from a man who asked to report a sex offense involving North Idaho College Chemistry Professor Jonathan Downing.

The victim, who was a former student of Downing's, told police he knew him on a personal level and had at times, lived with Downing as a roommate.

While recently living with Downing, the victim told police that he grew suspicious of him, and thought he was being recorded. While inspecting a shared bathroom, the victim discovered a small "pinhole type video camera" hidden in the wall. After finding the camera, the victim told police he searched a shared computer. On the computer, the victim found secretly recorded videos of himself and a lady friend. The victim then called police. 

Coeur d'Alene Police Detectives in turn contacted Downing, who agreed to come to the Police Department to be interviewed. Downing admitted to police that he intentionally placed the camera to covertly record video of the victim while the he was in the bathroom. Downing claimed he didn't intentionally record the woman.

Police arrested Downing and booked him into the Kootenai County Jail for two felony counts of Video Voyeurism.

Coeur d'Alene Police Detectives are actively investigating this incident and would like to speak with anyone who has lived with or spent time at Downing's residence in the past several years.


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