Man faces voyeurism charge
A Hot Springs man arrested Wednesday after a female member of a local gym allegedly caught him recording her getting dressed reportedly told Hot Springs police he couldn’t resist “temptation.”
Eric Shane Couch, 30, who lists a Candleberry
Circle address, was taken into custody around
12:30 p.m. and charged with a felony count of video voyeurism, punishable by up to six years in prison.
He was later released on $2,500 bond and is set to appear July 25 in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavit, on June
26, around 6:30 a.m., police Officer Ja-
son Green responded to Flex Fitness, 2303 Albert Pike Road, and met with the victim who stated she had discovered a man, later identified as Couch, was videotaping her getting dressed minutes before Green arrived.
The victim explained the facility has two tanning rooms, separated by partitioning walls that do not go all the way up to the ceiling. She said she had exited the tanning bed and started to get dressed, when she observed a cellphone over the partitioning wall.
She said she was fully nude upon exiting the tanning bed, and noticed the phone while still in a semi-dressed state. The phone was promptly removed as soon as she noticed it.
The victim then left the tanning room, and asked other patrons in the gym who else was in the tanning booth. The patrons reportedly told her Couch walked into the tanning section shortly after she did. She told Green that when she attempted to confront Couch he walked past her and left.
Detective Kenny May contacted Couch by phone, advising him the call pertained to the incident at the gym. During the phone conversation, Couch allegedly admitted to holding his cellphone over the partitioning wall in the tanning room.
He allegedly told May he was able to see her back and buttocks, adding she was either nude or wearing a thong. He reportedly said he did it due to “temptation,” and cancelled his membership at Flex Fitness the same day.
Green reviewed the surveillance video from the gym and reportedly observed some of the events that transpired. Although he was not able to see Couch holding a cellphone over the partitioning wall, he did see the victim leaving the tanning area visibly very upset and the short conversation that took place with Couch before he left.