Peeping professor charged with secretly recording students in the bathroom
Prof. Mark Landis allegedly set up cameras in his roommate's bedroom and bathroom, as well as the remaining bathrooms in his dwelling.
One confiscated recording was a 35-minute video of his roommate having sex.
Nineteen victims have been identified and 15 are pressing charges.
A former San Francisco State University (SFSU) professor is facing 15 misdemeanor charges of unauthorized invasion of privacy after officials confiscated around a hundred graphic videos of past and current students using restroom facilities.
Mark Landis, a former accounting professor, used his campus ties to frequently entertain students in his home— and to allegedly film his guests using his restrooms.
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According to KRON, a local news outlet, the videos show Landis installing cameras in both his roommate’s bedroom and bathroom, as well as the remaining bathrooms in the residence. These documented accounts happened between 2011-2014.
Among the confiscated videos was a 35-minute recording of the professor’s roommate having sex.
Officials found Landis’ extensive video collection on four laptops, two flash drives, two SD cards, and a mini DVD.
At a party hosted by Landis, a male student went to use the restroom and noticed a camera hidden in the tissue box. Shortly after his initial discovery, the student realized the camera contained extensive footage of students’ private parts, exposed while using Landis’ facilities, and immediately reported the device to authorities.
“You’re going to a restroom, you’re not expecting to be to [sic] photographed or on video when you’re on a toilet,” said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon.
The male victim was one among many students who suspected the professor of filming the explicit material. Other students went to authorities with their concerns, but many of them personally confronted the professor before officials warranted an in-home investigation. Landis’ response was typically sorry, I don’t keep the videos.
Nineteen victims have been identified and 15 are pressing charges.
According to SFSU campus spokesperson Adrianne Bee, the professor had been working at the university since August 2006 but resigned from teaching on July 18.
Landis is out on a $100,000 bail.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @MaggieLitCRO
