PANAMA CITY BEACH — Police have arrested a man on charges he set up a secret camera in his former girlfriend’s home to watch her undress, according to police reports.
Richard Edward Laymon, 40, was arrested Thursday on charges of video voyeurism of a person over 19 years of age.
A former girlfriend of Laymon, of Panama City Beach, called police to report that she believed she was being secretly recorded by Laymon. She said he had installed what she believed to be a fake camera as “deterrent to potential thieves,” police reported.
After several months of the camera being in her room, however, she noticed the “dummy” camera had lights on the back and was plugged into a power source. She realized Laymon routinely knew when she was and was not at home, and also that her computer was picking up a signal from the camera, she told police.
Officers set up a recorded phone call between the former girlfriend and Laymon, when he admitted to installing the camera, but it was live-streaming and not recorded, PCBPD reported.
Officers then brought Laymon to the station for questioning where he allegedly confessed to seeing the girlfriend nude with the camera and also engaged in sexual explicit behavior during numerous viewings. He also told police he used his cellphone to record portions, police said.
Laymon was charged with video voyeurism of a person over 19 years of age for allegedly recording the former girlfriend without her knowledge. A bond of $2,500 was placed on Laymon’s release, and he cannot have contact with the victim.
