Downers Grove man secretly recorded hundreds of women, 13-year-old girl: prosecutors
DUPAGE COUNTY - A Downers Grove man is facing charges for allegedly inappropriately recording hundreds of women and a teenager.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Downers Grove Chief of Police Michael DeVries announced Friday the charges against 36-year-old Matthew Morgan, which include unauthorized video recording of a victim under 18, as well as unauthorized video recording without consent.
The allegations against Morgan include recording a 13-year-old girl in a Starbucks lobby by placing his phone under her dress while pretending to tie his shoelaces. Additionally, he is accused of secretly recording a woman in a Goodwill changing room by placing his phone under the stall door.
Authorities say they found about 260 videos on Morgan's phone, most of which featured young females recorded without their knowledge or consent at various locations, including Goodwill, Starbucks, and Target stores.
Matthew Morgan
Matthew Morgan appeared Friday in court where the judge ordered several conditions of pre-trial release, including weapons surrender, home confinement with electronic monitoring, monitoring software installation on all electronic devices, and no contact with minors under 18 except for his own children.
"The allegations that Mr. Morgan secretly videotaped innocent females in an inappropriate manner, two while they were in a changing room and one thirteen-year-old girl at a Starbucks are extremely disturbing." Berlin said.
"Also concerning is the fact that the law does not allow a judge to exercise their discretion to detain when unlawful videotaping is charged, as in this case. Since the Safe-T-Act went into effect, in DuPage County the law has largely been working as intended by the legislature. I still believe however, that a judge should have discretion to detain or release pre-trial in any case based on the facts and circumstances of each particular case presented to the judge in court."
Morgan is next due in court on October 30.