Hidden cameras found inside church bathroom in Salinas

As afternoon Mass wrapped up at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salinas, parishioners in their Sunday best listened to the words of the priest. But this time it wasn’t a sermon that was read, it was a letter announcing a church employee had been arrested for reportedly placing hidden cameras inside the women’s bathroom.

“This was something that took all of us by surprise,” said the Rev. Jim Ezell.

Ezell said 60-year-old Daniel Murguia, a longtime maintenance worker at the church has been let go. This after Ezell said Murguia admitted to church staff and officers that the camera was his. Church officials said the camera was discovered by a female parishioner.

“She found a black object on the floor. Then she picked it up and examined it and realized it was a camera,” said Ezell.

Together, the woman and the reverend turned on the camera, he said they were both saddened and shocked at what they found.

“It was clear that we could see who it was attaching the file in place and at that point we didn’t want to go any further because we didn’t want to see what was on there,” said Ezell.

And what was on there, according to police, was women in the restroom secretly being recorded. Officers determined that there were at least20 different instances where females were unknowingly on camera.

“We’re very concerned that this doesn’t happen again,” said Ezell.

Salinas police say other electronics have been seized from Murguia’s residence, and will be reviewed as their investigation continues. Murguia is now facing several charges of disorderly conduct.