Hidden camera

[Fed2016]

Jurisdiction

US Federal Law

I work as a federal employee with military people. My boss is a Navy senior chief.

This guy has harassed me and threatened my job multiple times. I believe he broke into my locked desk as well. I ve taken this up through his chain of command and they have done nothing. Finally I may or may not have placed a hidden camera on my desk sound and video for evidence. I filed an EO complaint and at the last minute pulled the complaint as the command found out about the complaint somehow. I thought instead of the command getting into trouble I'll give them one last chance to help the situation and pulled the complaint. The very next day the command locked everyone out of our office space and stated they were starting a preliminary investigation into me violating their security policy. I have been advised not to say anything by a criminal attorney. The office has been locked for a week and then I was called and told they were confiscating the hidden camera.

How much trouble am I in? If they would have handled the hostile work environment I would not have had to resort to these methods.

 

[Betty3]

Since you have an attorney, you need to discuss with him/her. There is no way for us to know what will happen.

 

[Fed2016]

I know there is no way to know however What laws if any are broken?
I only consulted with an attorney. I don't have one.

What are the criminal consequences for me? Is this a policy thing. A have been an employee for four years.

 

[army judge]

I know there is no way to know however What laws if any are broken?
I only consulted with an attorney. I don't have one.

What are the criminal consequences for me? Is this a policy thing. A have been an employee for four years.

You may have stumbled into the paranoia of the terrorists are everywhere. The hidden camera is probably seen as some sort of voyeurism, invasion of privacy, or spying.

Nothing to do but wait it out.

This video instructs you as to how EVERY CRIMINAL SUSPECT OR DEFENDANT should proceed:

 

[Fed2016]

OK. So the Navy bosses confiscated the camera and have been reviewing the footage. I was present and so far there is nothing going on that they care about. There is 12 days worth of footage. And its hour for hour. I wonder will they really spend the time when the footage is just normal business no protected conversations.

 

[Betty3]

You will just have to wait & see. There is no way we can know what they might or might not do. They still might be concerned that their "security policy" was violated.

 

[army judge]

OK. So the Navy bosses confiscated the camera and have been reviewing the footage. I was present and so far there is nothing going on that they care about. There is 12 days worth of footage. And its hour for hour. I wonder will they really spend the time when the footage is just normal business no protected conversations.

I suggest you retain an attorney.
In the interim, stop asking questions or discussing this affair.
Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law.
There are laws prohibiting what "someone" is alleged to have done.

Your EVERY move is probably being surveilled.

Your telephone calls and Internet usage are probably being monitored.

Behave accordingly, and trust no one, but your lawyer.

The entire matter is probably being probed by NCIS, JTTF, FBI, and NSA.

You'd be surprised as to what those guys do.

Warrantless searches DO occur of suspects' homes.

Hire a lawyer, or lay low and stop discussing something that is no longer in your control.

 

[ElleMD]

Bad idea to install your own camera. Even worse idea to blame it on your employer. If you are being illegally harassed, and it isn't clear that you are, there are legal remedies available to you, even if your direct supervisor or employer does not fix it on their own. None of those involve breaking the law yourself or jeopardizing security. It matters not at all that you "lucked out" and nothing classified or sensitive was caught on camera. I can't even begin to imagine why you thought this was a good idea especially given where you work. I highly suggest actually retaining a criminal attorney. I do not see this ending well for you.

 

[cbg]

The term, hostile work environment, has a very specific meaning under the law. Based solely on what you have posted, you were not in an HWE. It is possible, but by no means definite, that additional details about what the guy was doing to "harass" you might change that answer. If you want to post them (you do not have to) it is also possible, but again not definite, that whether you actually were or were not in an HWE might affect how much trouble you are in. Your choice.