Police: Maybe dozens of peeping victims

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) - Muskegon police say a man accused of videotaping community college wrestlers in a men's locker room may have videotaped dozens of other people.

Ninos Jando, 34, of Skokie, Ill. was arraigned Wednesday on three counts of capturing or distributing an image of an unclothed person, a five-year felony. Court documents list three male victims in the case.

Police said they believe Jando was videotaping students taking showers in a men's locker room at Muskegon Community College Monday evening. A student wrestler told 24 Hour News 8 Tuesday he noticed Jando leaving a shower with a toiletry bag that appeared to contain a camera lens. The student also saw a red light coming from the bag.

"The defendant actually hung a toiletry bag on a shower head and positioned the camera in a hole in the bag that allowed him to video tape other patrons without them knowing it," said Chief Assistant Muskegon County Prosecutor Tim Maat.

Muskegon police also confiscated six similar toiletry bags from Jando's car, along with cell phones, a hard drive and a laptop. Images found on those devices led to the charges Jando now faces.

After the discovery of other videos found in the rental car, the investigation widened. Confiscated images reveal that there may be dozens of victims videotaped in several different locker room showers.

"We have reason to believe the defendant has been at multiple locations as a result of reviewing some of the video tapes that are in our possession," said Maat.

Along the cameras and other evidence, detectives also found membership cards under various names for several health clubs in Jando's car.
 
They are checking the GPS device found in the car, hoping to track down any stops he may have made on his way to Muskegon from Chicago Monday. There's also indication he had been on the M.C.C. campus last week.

And investigators are asking for the public's help.

"We're obviously able to determine that they are shower scenes, but in what building or in what facility is still left undetermined," said Maat. "And so whatever help we can get from the public to help us determine those locations, we'd like to follow up on that."

If you have seen Jando and believe you may be a victim,  you are asked to call Muskegon Police Detective Andrew Rush at 231.724.6752.

And then there's Jando's past. He was arrested in 2008 at X Sport Fitness Club in St. Charles, Ill. after an off-duty officer noticed a camera poking out of his gym bag.

Those charges were reduced, and later dropped back, despite evidence including 21 video tapes similar to the ones found Monday.

"And the date range is from 10 (October) of '02 to 5 (May) 1 of '08, suggesting there'd been six years worth of tapes," said Maat.

That incident, along with the evidence found Monday convinced the judge to order a hefty bond of $200,000. And of he does get out, he has to wear a tether, can't have any electronic devices, including a cell phone, and can't leave Muskegon County.

Police and prosecutors want to make sure Jando can't view or send out any video investigators may not know about.

"Our major concern at this time is whether or not he has been distributing these images. Because as you heard the court say, these images could be world wide and effect these innocent victim for the rest of their lives," said Maat.

So far, none of the victims appear to be underage, but authorities still have to sort through a lot of video and the investigation is ongoing.