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Man Arrested for Hiding in Ceiling to Photograph Wilmington College Soccer Players

A custodian at Wilmington College faces nearly a dozen criminal charges after campus safety officers detained him for allegedly hiding in a drop ceiling to photograph members of the women's soccer team while they changed clothes. Jayson Barker,…

Man Arrested for Hiding in Ceiling to Photograph Wilmington College Soccer Players

A custodian at Wilmington College faces nearly a dozen criminal charges after campus safety officers detained him for allegedly hiding in a drop ceiling to photograph members of the women’s soccer team while they changed clothes. Jayson Barker, of Jeffersonville, Ohio, was booked into the Clinton County Jail on eleven counts of voyeurism following the incident at the Scheve Athletic Center.

Arrest at Scheve Athletic Center

Wilmington Police Department officers responded to the Scheve Athletic Center at approximately 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday after a player spotted a person hiding in the locker room ceiling. Campus safety officers detained the suspect until city police arrived on the scene. According to a Clinton County Municipal Court affidavit, 11 players were changing inside the room when they noticed someone holding a mobile phone emerge from the ceiling structure, accompanied by a flash indicating a photo or video was captured.

Charges and Court Proceedings

Barker, who worked at the campus as a contract custodial employee through a third-party vendor named Scioto, is charged with eleven counts of voyeurism. Court records show he was booked on a $22,000 cash or surety bond and has since posted bail. During transport to the jail, Barker told authorities that he possessed an unloaded shotgun in his vehicle parked at the college, according to the court affidavit. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 5 at 2 p.m. in Clinton County Municipal Court.

Man Arrested for Hiding in Ceiling to Photograph Wilmington College Soccer Players
Photo: wfmd.com

College Response and Investigation

Randall Sarvis, the college’s associate vice president of communications and public relations, stated that Wilmington College severed its business ties with the vendor Scioto on Wednesday. The institution is offering counseling services to the affected students. Wilmington police confirmed that the investigation remains active as detectives review recovered evidence to determine if additional charges will be filed against the suspect.

About the author: Javier Moreno - Sports Editor

Former sideline reporter and FIFA‑accredited correspondent. Javier covers football, boxing, and Olympic sports, blending analytics with athlete‑focused storytelling. Javier Moreno offers in‑depth sports coverage, live analysis, and exclusive interviews from global arenas.