Polk County IT manager found dead in park during voyeurism probe: PCSO
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
BARTOW, Fla. - Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies said they found the body of a 60-year-old Lakeland man in Colt Creek State Park on Tuesday morning during a video voyeurism investigation.
Video Voyeurism Investigation
What we know:
According to PCSO, a Polk County Tax Collector's Office employee located a hidden camera inside a women's restroom on Monday. The device was hidden inside a disposable toilet seat holder box at an employee-only information technology building in Bartow.
A detective reviewed the camera's memory card, which they said showed a white man, with a long beard, placing the camera inside the women's restroom in the disposable toilet seat holder box. Employees at the Tax Collector’s Office positively identified the man as IT Manager Sean Krause. The recordings captured at least three women without their knowledge, according to investigators.
Deputies said they went to Krause's home, where a witness said Krause admitted to filming female co-workers in the bathroom. Krause left his phone behind, changed his shirt, took medication and left.
A park ranger found Krause's car at Colt Creek State Park around 8:25 p.m. Monday. Deputies said they found a suicide note in the vehicle and later found his body in the woods at 8:28 a.m. Tuesday.
Had Krause not died, deputies said he would have arrested and charged him with multiple counts of digital (video) voyeurism.
What we don't know:
The Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released the official cause of death.
‘Digital voyeurism is a serious crime’
What they're saying:
"Digital voyeurism is a serious crime," explained Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "The Tax Collector’s office did an outstanding job taking immediate action, and our deputies worked quickly to gather and review the evidence. Though the investigation is ongoing, and we await the findings of the Medical Examiner’s Office, it is clear that Mr. Krause committed very serious law violations before apparently taking his own life."
"I am shocked and disturbed by these events and deeply saddened for the employees who were directly impacted by this terrible act," stated Tax Collector Joe Tedder. "This employee was terminated as soon as he was identified as the perpetrator. I am proud of the way my staff acted when the matter was brought to our attention, how quickly the Sheriff’s Office became involved and for their professionalism in identifying the individual responsible before day’s end. We ask that the community keep in their thoughts and prayers the employees affected by this."
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who detailed the investigation, as well as official statements from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.