Stephen Nicot of Greece, New York, was sentenced this week to 12 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for using a hidden camera to film minors in a church bathroom and his home. He was also fined $250,000.
The 61-year-old pleaded guilty in January to receipt of child pornography. For that charge, he faced between five and 20 years in prison.
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During a 2022 search of Nicot’s home, investigators found a memory card and a USB drive containing photographs and videos of “at least five minor victims using the church bathroom and shower,” according to a Justice Department (DOJ) press release.
“[Nicot] did this knowing some of the individuals would be under the age of 18 and he planned to display the video of the minors,” the DOJ added. Authorities also discovered photos and videos of nude adult men using the church shower.
Stephen Nicot Placed Hidden Camera in Church Bathroom
The name of the church—located in Holley, Orleans County—has not been released. The county is in northwestern New York, near Rochester. It’s also unclear whether Stephen Nicot worked at or attended the church in question.
According to a local news outlet, investigators discovered the porn-filled memory card in Nicot’s home, tucked in a book on tape titled “Jesus Among Other Gods.” On two confiscated cell phones, investigators found naked images of a minor who had been filmed by a hidden camera in Nicot’s home.
Following a joint investigation by local officials and the FBI, Nicot was arrested in 2023 and charged with production and possession of child pornography. Those charges carried a maximum prison sentence of up to 30 years.
Authorities Identified at Least 5 Minor Victims
According to prosecutors, Nicot recorded people in the unnamed church’s bathroom between 2012 and 2014. They alleged that he strategically positioned the device to capture images from the men’s shower area.
Law enforcement officials said they identified five minors who were filmed unknowingly in the church bathroom. They had asked the community to report any other possible victims.
