A Howell County man is facing criminal charges after authorities allege a hidden camera disguised as an ink pen was used to record a minor inside a bathroom.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, Jarrod Girdley has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor invasion of privacy. Court documents allege that on Sept. 19, 2026, a minor victim became suspicious after observing her stepfather moving items around inside a bathroom closet before she entered to shower.
Investigators say the victim later discovered what appeared to be an ink pen containing a camera lens, charging port and SD card hidden in the closet. After documenting the device with her cellphone, the victim reported the incident to her mother.
The probable cause statement alleges that after Jarrod Girdley left the residence, the victim and her mother searched the home and located the suspected recording device, along with SD cards and a card reader. Those items were turned over to the Howell County Sheriff’s Office for examination.
Authorities obtained a search warrant and conducted a forensic examination of the device and storage media. Investigators allege deleted files were recovered, including two videos depicting the minor victim nude in the bathroom. The document states the recordings were dated July 2026.
Investigators also cited evidence that the recording device had been purchased online and alleged that the contents of the SD card appeared to have been deleted in an effort to destroy evidence.
