NJ man charged with secretly recording stepdaughter in bathroom

NEW PROVIDENCE — A stepfather who prosecutors say "surreptitiously" recorded his teenage stepdaughter in their bathroom was charged with endangerment and invasion of privacy.

Esteban Gomez-Barrantes, 34, of New Providence, positioned his cell phone under some laundry, which was first noticed by the girl on June 3, investigators said. The phone had a clear view of the room and the recorder was turned on, according to Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo.

The family contacted police and Gomez-Barrantes was arrested on Friday. He remained in Union County Jail awaiting a court hearing.

Ruotolo did not say why the arrest was made four months after the discovery of recordings being made or how many images and video were taken by Gomez-Barrantes.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

More from New Jersey 101.5