NJ high school head custodian put spy cam in restroom, say cops

ENGLEWOOD — A head custodian for the city's public school district was arrested after a female co-worker found a hidden camera that had recorded her using a restroom.

Francisco Javier Lopez-Martinez, 59, of Bergenfield, was arrested early in the morning on Feb. 1 after an overnight police search on two adjoining school campuses. Lopez-Martinez was found hiding near Dwight Morrow High School, where police said he threatened suicide while holding a handgun.

An officer managed to disarm Lopez-Martinez. No one was injured and the gun was determined to be an air-soft weapon, designed to look exactly like a large caliber semi-automatic handgun, according to police.

A day earlier, a woman reported to police that she had discovered the camera while using a bathroom at the same high school where she is a member of the night shift maintenance and cleaning crew. Police said she told them she found footage of her and also a clip of her boss, Lopez-Martinez, installing the camera.

A full search by police and school officials of all school buildings that Lopez-Martinez had access to turned up no other devices. There is no evidence suggesting that any children or school staff were recorded, officials said.

Police said preliminary evidence as of Thursday suggests that the adult victim was the only individual targeted, though the investigation is ongoing.

Lopez-Martinez has been charged with one count of third-degree invasion of privacy for installing the hidden camera, second-degree burglary, second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful use, third-degree illegal possession of a handgun on school grounds, third-degree hindering his own apprehension, fourth-degree obstruction of justice and fourth-degree resisting arrest by flight.

He was taken to Bergen County Jail for his first court appearance.