GLENDALE, AZ — A teacher at Independence High School in Glendale has been arrested for allegedly secretly recording students while they were undressing.
According to court documents, 53-year-old Estevan Carreon arranged a meeting with students during spring break to receive extra credit.
On March 18, six students, two boys and four girls, who were in the school's media club received a message from their teacher, Carreon, to come to school to work on a project.
Before their arrival, court documents state Carreon set up spy cameras in the changing room of the classroom.
While recording their school project, the students would reportedly change in and out of different outfits. They used the classroom changing room where the secret camera was hidden.
While the two boys were in the changing room, one of them noticed a power charger plugged into the outlet. When he looked at it, he noticed a hidden camera built into the device. The second student hid the camera and concealed it from Carreon.
The two students told the other students about what they found and searched the changing room for other devices. Documents state they found two more hidden cameras.
Later, the students told their parents about what they found. After contacting police, court documents state that an SD card located in the charger contained video of the female students who were nude.
All of the students involved and their parents were contacted by police.
A search warrant was obtained for Carreon's home and digital media.
On Monday, Carreon was arrested by Glendale police and is facing multiple charges including voyeurism, sexual exploitation of a minor, and more.
Police say investigators are still combing through evidence to see if there are additional victims in this case.
Glendale Union High School District sent the following statement on the incident on Tuesday, saying Carreon has been placed on administrative leave:
"We are actively working with the Glendale Police Department regarding this matter. In accordance with policy, Glendale Union High School District cannot provide details regarding personnel matters; however, we can confirm that the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending further action, has been relieved of all duties and has been arrested. We are unable to provide any additional comments on this matter."
A letter was also sent home to families, reading:
"Dear Independence Parents/Guardians:
We are writing to let you know that allegations of misconduct by a teacher were reported to the school administration of Independence High School. We immediately began working with the Glendale Police Department and placed the employee on leave pending further action, and the employee was relieved of all duties.
The district emphasizes the importance of student safety and enforces a comprehensive background check for all employees, which includes fingerprint clearance and a third-party background check. The fingerprints are reviewed by the AZ Department of Public Safety and the FBI.
As mentioned, the district collaborates with local law enforcement to thoroughly investigate allegations of misconduct. In this instance, the administration worked alongside the Glendale Police Department, which has since made an arrest related to the allegations. Furthermore, the Glendale Police Department is in the process of notifying parents of the alleged victims.
Although the Glendale Union High School District and the school are unable to disclose any details on personnel issues and will not be able to provide additional comments on this matter, we remain dedicated to supporting our students. It is understood that during such times the need for additional support among young people can increase. Please know that our school’s administration and the IHS Social Worker are ready to extend the necessary support, resources and assistance to both students and parents. Should you need more information on available supports, please do not hesitate to contact us at 623-435-6100."
This is the second educator-involved arrest ABC15 has reported on in less than a week. Buckeye police recently arrested a 23-year-old former teacher and athletic coach accused of sex crimes involving a student.
Buckeye officials said that incident was the “third arrest of a female sexual predator with ties to our local schools in less than a year.”
