Former Expedia employee who hid cameras in bathrooms sentenced to prison

The former Expedia employee who hid cameras in bathrooms and spied on co-workers at the company’s Seattle headquarters will spend four years in prison.

Marcelo Vargas-Fernandez pleaded guilty to 14 counts of felony voyeurism. King County prosecutors said the 14 counts represent 14 victims, but they said the real number of people victimized by Vargas-Fernandez could be in excess of 50, dating back to 2023.

In court, advocates read impact statements from victims who chose to remain anonymous but still wanted to be heard.

“The loss of privacy has affected my confidence, my sense of safety, and my ability to trust institutions that are supposed to protect employees,” one victim wrote.

Former Expedia employee changes plea to guilty

Vargas-Fernandez initially pleaded not guilty to four counts, but as more evidence was uncovered and more victims were identified, he changed his plea to guilty.

Prosecutors and Vargas-Fernandez’s attorney agreed on a sentence, but Judge Janet Helson added sanctions requested by the victims.

“I ask the court to impose a sentence that impacts the seriousness of this violation,” another victim wrote. “This was not a harmless or victimless act. It was a deliberate invasion of privacy that has caused long-lasting emotional and psychological damage. I believe accountability is necessary to protect future victims and to reinforce that this type of conduct is unacceptable.”

Vargas-Fernandez used his cameras in single-use, unisex bathrooms, so his victims are both male and female co-workers.

After he serves his sentence, Vargas-Fernandez will be placed under community supervision.

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