
Deputies say four hidden recording devices were found in girls’ locker and changing areas at Brooke High, and the principal was charged after reportedly admitting he placed them.
Story Highlights
- Deputies reported finding four concealed devices in multiple girls’ facilities at Brooke High.
- A deputy said an SD card showed a female student undressing; the video was stopped at once.
- Video reportedly showed the principal placing a pen-style camera in a locker room.
- The principal was charged and held on bond; warrants were served at the school and his home.
Deputies Report Hidden Cameras In Multiple Girls’ Facilities
Brooke County deputies said they found a hidden camera in a girls’ changing area at Brooke High School, then located additional devices in other girls’ locker and dressing rooms. Reports identify the girls’ physical education locker room, the girls’ varsity locker room, and a dance team dressing area as search locations where devices were recovered. Investigators opened a criminal case and notified school officials. The scale across several rooms points to repeated placement, not a one-time incident, according to the published accounts.
Investigators stated that one deputy reviewed a memory card from a device and saw a female student undressing, then stopped the video immediately to protect the student’s privacy. Coverage also says footage captured the principal, Eric James, placing a pen-shaped camera on the floor in the girls’ locker room and adjusting it before a student entered and undressed. Sheriff Richard Beatty said James was quickly identified as the suspect responsible for the devices based on the early investigative steps.
Charges, Search Warrants, And Seizures Advance The Case
Deputies executed search warrants at Brooke High and at James’s Marshall County home, seizing electronics for forensic review in Morgantown, according to local reports. James was charged with felonies tied to intercepting electronic communications and breaking and entering a nonresidence, and a magistrate set bond at one hundred thousand dollars. Reports summarizing the complaint say James admitted to placing four devices, including a key fob-style camera and a charger-style camera.
Officials said the criminal investigation remains active as forensic teams examine the devices and storage media for timestamps and possible victim scope. Prosecutors indicated that additional charges could be filed as evidence develops, which is common in cases that hinge on digital extractions and victim notifications. Civil actions have also been filed, including a class action that mirrors law enforcement’s account of hidden cameras in girls’ facilities at the school.
Student Privacy, Parental Trust, And Clear Lines In The Law
West Virginia law and common sense both recognize that children have a strong expectation of privacy in locker rooms and changing areas. Reporting across these outlets describes concealed devices in exactly those protected spaces, which is why authorities moved fast, seized electronics, and asked labs to pull full data. This pattern fits how courts and lawmakers treat covert recording in private spaces: it violates basic rights and invites serious criminal penalties when proven.
Parents expect schools to guard children first, not spy on them. Local deputies, guided by President Trump’s public push for law and order, are moving to hold the responsible person to account. The sheriff’s office reports quick identification of the suspect, fast search warrants, and bonds that reflect the gravity of the claims. Families deserve full transparency as forensics conclude, counseling for students, and firm school safeguards so this never happens again. Allegations are charges until a court rules.
Sources:
reason.com, wdtv.com, timesleaderonline.com, legalnewsline.com, wvmetronews.com, themirror.com, weirtondailytimes.com












