Former Choir Director Confesses To Recording Students As They Changed

At St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, a long-time former choir director pled guilty on to more than 24 charges for secretly filming students as they undressed in his office. The Johnson County District Court received a guilty plea from 46-year-old Joseph Heidesch during a video teleconference hearing, according to The Kansas City Star.

Heidesch pleaded to 24 charges of privacy invasion and one count of possessing sexually explicit material of a minor after prosecutors and his defense lawyer came to an agreement. Heidesch was required to be present in person for his sentencing ordered by Judge Michael P. Joyce.

In accordance with the conditions of the plea deal, prosecutors and Heidesch’s attorney are asking that he serve nearly six years in a Kansas prison. Additionally, he would have to register as a sex offender with the state.

Authorities claim that hundreds of recordings showing 25 identified victims in various degrees of exposure, including some who were nude, were found on a hard drive taken as evidence. The hidden camera was installed in Heidesch’s office, a location where students were known to change into choir uniforms.

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Sources:

https://kansaspublicradio.org/2022-12-13/headlines-for-tuesday-december-13-2022