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San Dimas Man Accused Of Putting Camera In Starbucks Bathroom

GLENDORA (CBS) — Glendora police Tuesday sought to identify 34 females whose images were caught on a camera hidden in a Starbucks restroom.

William Zafra Velasco, 25, of San Dimas, was arrested on suspicion of placing the camera -- disguised as part of a coat hook -- in the restroom in front of a toilet at the coffee shop at 1832 East Route 66, Glendora police Lt. Tim Staab said.

Police have identified 11 victims so far and want to identify 34 others to aid in Velasco's prosecution, he said.

A Starbucks employee found the camera, and police arrested Velasco, a student, on May 4, after he was identified via security video and information provided by Starbucks employees, Staab said.

The camera was active just two days -- on April 14 and 15 -- and Velasco allegedly downloaded the recorded images to a laptop computer in his car about once per hour, Staab said.

Some children were among the 45 known victims, he said.

Velasco, who is free on $50,000 bail, is due in Citrus Superior Court in West Covina on June 21 on a misdemeanor charge he secretly recorded the victims for sexual gratification.

Glendora police Chief Rob Castro and Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Hesperia, have scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference for Friday, when Donnelly is expected to announce proposed legislation that would make the alleged crime a felony.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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