OLIVIA , Minn. — An Olivia, Minn., man has been summoned to appear on charges alleging he filmed women showering without their knowledge at his hog farm in rural Olivia, according to a criminal complaint filed with the Renville County District Court.
Nicholas William Steffel, 27, faces six gross misdemeanor charges of interference with privacy after law enforcement found six videos he allegedly filmed of women in the nude through a window in the shower of his farm, according to the complaint.
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The six videos for which Steffel is facing charges were recorded between July 23, 2018, and Dec. 12, 2019.
Investigators say they also found an additional 23 videos and 104 still images recorded between Oct. 30, 2016, and Dec. 12, 2019, that fall outside of the applicable statute of limitations for charging criminal offenses, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, an investigator with Renville County received a cyber tip from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension about the sharing of a video by Steffel and a search warrant was issued to examine his iPhone and iPad.
All six women in the videos law enforcement found were identified, and confirmed they were the women in the video and were at Steffel's hog barn at the time and date of the recordings.
"They did not know they were being recorded and did not give anyone permission to record them," reads part of the complaint.
Entry into the hog barn is bio-controlled to prevent potential disease contamination and showering before entering and leaving is required.
Steffel's first appearance is scheduled for June 7.