Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 35-year-old Johnny Chan received a 12 year prison sentence for intentionally setting up multiple hidden cameras inside separate workplace bathrooms to record users without their knowledge or consent.
“Johnny Chan was a trusted co-worker and a friend to many of the victims. This sentence reflects the seriousness, scope and the aggravating factors of his conduct. We identified nearly 80 victims during this investigation. Mr. Chan was fired from his job as a pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente because of his behavior. From there, being fully aware that he was under investigation for secretly recording co-workers, he applied for a new job and was hired at Banana Republic where he then continued to secretly record other co-workers. This showed a complete disregard to the victims and to the criminal justice system,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney BJ Park, who litigated this case.
Multiple victims testified during Monday’s sentencing hearing and expressed how this case impacted them.
“Many of the victims lost their sense of security because of Mr. Chan’s actions and continue to feel vulnerable and are struggling with the psychological impacts of being humiliated in this way,” said DDA Park.
In September, Chan pleaded guilty to 20 counts of invasion of privacy in the first degree.
By pleading guilty, Chan admitted that he unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly recorded, without knowledge or consent, several people while in a place, and under circumstances, where they had a reasonable expectation to privacy and that he captured the individuals while they were in a state of nudity.
This investigation started in November 2017 when the Portland Police Bureau was notified by Kaiser Permanente that an employee discovered a small, high-definition camera hidden inside a bathroom at a Kaiser Permanente facility, located in the 5700 block of Northeast 138th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. This facility is not open to the public.
Law enforcement learned that Chan had as many as three hidden cameras simultaneously recording images and audio. In some circumstances, by using more than one camera, Chan recorded himself setting up the other cameras. Furthermore, Chan was able to view the files in real-time using Wi-Fi.
During the investigation, the Portland Police Bureau learned that Chan, a licensed pharmacist, was employed by Kaiser Permanente. All of the conduct at the Kaiser Permanente facility occurred between December 2016 and November 2017.
Kaiser Permanente terminated Chan upon learning of the criminal investigation.
Members of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Chan on November 26, 2018 at the Banana Republic store, located in the 9900 block of Northeast Cascades Parkway in Portland, Oregon. This arrest was for the criminal conduct that occurred in the Kaiser Permanente case.
When law enforcement arrested Chan, they checked the all-user, employee-only bathroom at the store and located a camera, in active record mode, which had been concealed to face the toilet. According to court documents, the small high definition camera, was forensically examined and law enforcement determined additional victims had been recorded while in a state of nudity in the restroom.
There is no evidence that Chan disseminated the images online or to another person. It is the belief of law enforcement that Chan maintained possession of the recordings for personal use.
As part of the sentence, Chan will have to register as a sex offender.
Upon his release, he will be on two years of post-prison supervision.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office wants to reiterate to the public that, based on the investigation, there is no reason to believe that customers, or members of the public, were captured by the cameras placed by Chan at either the Banana Republic store at Cascade Station or the Kaiser Permanente facility located in the 5700 block of Northeast 138th Avenue.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit for their dedicated efforts investigating this case and recognizes Kaiser Permanente for their dedicated support throughout this investigation. Additionally, the District Attorney’s Office recognizes Multnomah County District Attorney Victim Advocates Tabatha Smith and Julie Jacobs for their advocacy and support throughout this investigation.