HOUSTON – A Former ExxonMobil employee accused of taking ‘upskirt’ photos of female employees over the past year has been charged, according to court documents.
Zachary Butler, 30, was charged with two counts of felony invasive visual recording.
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The investigation on the allegations began on Aug. 12 when detectives with Harris County Constable Mark Herman’s High Tech Crimes Unit responded to a business, located in the 22700 block of Springwood Village Parkway.
The employees reportedly told investigators that Butler had taken multiple illegal invasive “upskirt” photographs of fellow employees without their consent over the past year or more.
Investigators learned that Butler would frequently ask female coworkers to go with him to buy coffee or to take walks after long periods of sitting, according to the court records. During the walks, he reportedly often recommended that he and his female coworkers use a set of enclosed stairs instead of the elevator.
Butler denied the allegations but provided needed passwords/PINs to his cellphone and other online accounts associated with his phone, according to charging documents. He also agreed to allow ExxonMobil to take his cellphone to a third-party vendor for analysis.
After reviewing his phone, an app called “Private Photo Vault” was found to be previously installed but uninstalled on Aug. 8, 2021, according to charging documents. Investigators indicate the vault contained 35 pictures and 25 videos of “upskirt” style videos.
The charging document indicates that when questioned, investigators said Butler admitted to taking upskirt videos of several of his coworkers. In each video, a cellphone was reportedly placed under the hemline of the women’s skirts or dresses and captured their clothed buttocks and genitalia areas. These videos were allegedly then edited using slow motion and an audio track.
Butler was arrested on Nov. 11 and booked into the Harris County Jail where his bond was set at $30,000.
Investigators urge anyone who may have knowledge of this case or believes they may be a victim to contact its dispatch line at 281-376-3472.