Woodland Church Worker Accused Of Planting Camera In Women's Bathroom

WOODLAND (CBS13) — A man is accused of filming nearly a dozen women and children in the bathroom of a Woodland church, though no charges have been filed against him.

Police say there are 20 victims ranging from young kids to elderly women, and one of them has yet to be identified.

The pastor of New Life Community Church brought the issue to police after someone found a phone in the bathroom.

Jim Richardson lives across the street from the church on Walnut Street. Hearing some of the church members he knows there could have been recorded by the hidden camera in the women's bathroom makes him angry.

"Makes me sick and it should make everybody sick," he said. "Just unfortunate that they use this place of worship for that kind of sickness."

Woodland Police Sgt. Brett Hancock says after the pastor told them about the phone on April 5, detectives identified the owner as 23-year-old Stephen Masalta, a musician at the church and a former Woodland resident.

When police went to his new Sacramento address, they found more evidence on hard drives spanning a four-month period.

Masalta was arrested on April 22, but has yet to be formally charged. According to the district attorney's office, the deadline to file isn't until May 21. Masalta is due in court the next day.

In the meantime, police have notified most of the victims identified from the videos, and the church continues to cooperate with the investigation.