‘Father Figure’ West Virginia Principal Leaves Students ‘Betrayed’ as He’s Accused of Hiding Secret Cameras in Girls’ Locker Rooms
Students viewed him as a father figure.
A high school principal viewed as a “father figure” by his students was taken into police custody after four cameras secretly hidden inside the girls’ locker room were allegedly found. Eric James, a father of three and the principal of Brooke High School in Wellsburg, West Virginia, was charged with one count of breaking and entering a non-residence and one count of intentionally intercepting or attempting to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communication on Sept. 3.
James is reportedly on a $100,000 bond and booked into the Northern Regional Jail, where he remains in custody, according to county jail logs. In a statement made by the school district, James has been suspended from his role amid investigations after recording devices were found by a security guard, who later reported them to the sheriff’s office, per the Daily Mail.
Brooke County Sheriff Richard Beatty said James was captured on video setting up a recording device, described as pen-like. “When we opened up that first device, there was actual footage of him setting it in place and adjusting the camera angle to be sure he was getting what he was looking for,” Beatty said. Another video file showing a student changing in a locker room was also captured on the recording device, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WTOV.
Students ‘trusted’ the West Virginia principal
A search warrant for James’ home was obtained, with the principal admitting to placing recording devices in girls’ changing rooms and locker rooms. Authorities later located four recording devices across the school. Among the places where the devices were discovered were girls’ locker rooms for athletes, PE classes, and a dance team changing room.
Attorney Allison Cowden said James broke a wiretapping law and entered a school area with criminal intent. James has only been preliminarily charged, but he could face more charges pending investigation. It remains to be seen if child photography will be included as a charge.
According to Superintendent Jeffrey Crook, the incident allegedly left students feeling “betrayed.” One high school senior reportedly wrote a post on Facebook expressing his shock and confusion.
“Mr. James was someone I looked up to. Someone I believed was there to protect us, guide us, and make sure we were okay. I recently even told him that I saw him as a father figure because of how much I respected him and trusted him,” the student wrote. “I genuinely believed he was someone who would always do the right thing. But as hurt and confused as I am, I also can’t stop thinking about the families and the women who may have been affected by all of this.”
Three civil lawsuits and a class action have reportedly been filed against James since his arrest, two of which were filed by “Jane Does” and another filed by parents. The Brooke County Board of Education was also listed as a defendant in two civil lawsuits
Following this incident, other schools in the district were reportedly checked for recording devices and were confirmed to be safe. While James’ recordings were sent to a crime lab, which authorities believe has only been in place since the start of the school year.
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