NJ School Official Who Allegedly Taped Boys Showering Resigns
Patrick Lott
The northern New Jersey assistant principal who has been accused of planting a hidden camera to videotape boys showering at a NJ Catholic high school where he volunteered for nearly three years has resigned from his job, more than a month after he was first arrested. Patrick Lott had been placed on an unpaid leave of absence as an assistant principal at the Bernardsville Middle School after being arrested last December, but it took until this week for Lott to officially step down amidst 22 counts of invasion of privacy (one for each victim), and more than two dozen counts of child endangerment. So despite “several” videos of nude teenagers showering being found at Lott’s house, he was still given a gentleman’s period to gracefully step aside.
In mid-December, police obtained a warrant to search Lott’s home, and prosecutors say they found “several” videos of nude teenagers showering. Authorities said there were 22 victims, including nine boys who are under the age of 16. Detectives subsequently found the area in the communal shower at Immaculata High School where the camera had been surreptitiously installed—they believe it’s been there since January 2008. The Somerville County DA says Lott had been a longtime volunteer and coach at the school, and also was active in local and county politics, serving for a time as chairman of the Somerville Republican Committee.
By on 09/02/2012