A women’s soccer player spotted a man above the locker room ceiling. He allegedly told police he was ‘reading the Bible’

A man is facing 11 counts of voyeurism after Wilmington police say he reportedly hid in the ceiling to secretly photograph members of the Wilmington College women’s soccer team while they changed in their locker room. 

As reported by WTVG, the incident occurred at the Scheve Athletic Center at Wilmington College. According to the affidavit filed in Clinton County Municipal Court, 11 students were reportedly inside the locker room when they noticed someone holding a phone appear from the ceiling. They reported seeing a flash, which suggested a photo or video was being taken at the time. Campus safety officers successfully detained the suspect until local police could arrive on the scene.

The suspect was identified as Jayson Barker, who resides in Jeffersonville, Ohio. Randall Sarvis, the associate vice president of communications and public relations at the college, confirmed that Barker was a custodian employed by a third-party vendor named Scioto. 

Barker claims he was reading the Bible 

Following the event, the college took swift action and severed ties with Scioto on. They are also currently providing counseling services to the students who were affected by this incident. Barker, on the other hand, reportedly provided a strange explanation for his presence in the ceiling space when questioned. 

The affidavit notes that Barker claimed he was above the drop ceiling reading the Bible on his phone and insisted he did not take any pictures. He stated that he sometimes goes up there to read on his phone and then turns it off before going back to work, which was turned off before police arrived. Police confiscated the phone as evidence just before he reached the jail. 

The investigation took another concerning turn while officers were transporting Barker to the jail. He reportedly informed the police that he had an unloaded shotgun in his car, which was parked on the college campus.

Barker was booked into the Clinton County Jail on a $22,000 cash or surety bond. Court records indicate that he has since posted bail. His next court appearance is scheduled to take place soon in the Clinton County Municipal Court.

Wilmington police have stated that the investigation remains active as of now. Detectives are currently reviewing the evidence to determine if Barker could face additional charges beyond the 11 counts of voyeurism he is already dealing with.