(Stillwater, Okla.) — A former Stillwater man who was originally accused of using his cell phone with the intent to see a man’s genitals in a restroom on the Oklahoma State University campus has been placed on two years’ probation on a reduced charge of attempted use of electronic equipment for a lewd or lascivious purpose.
James M. Hartman, 30, who now lives in Jenks, pleaded guilty to the reduced charge in Payne County District Court on July 17, court records show.
Hartman was ordered by Payne County Associate District Judge Stephen Kistler to complete a psycho sexual evaluation, perform any recommended follow-up, pay a $500 fine and contribute $50 the victims’ compensation fund, court records show.
At the time of the Sept. 30, 2014, incident, Hartman was living in Stillwater and working for the OSU IT Help Desk in the OSU Math Sciences Building, according to an affidavit by OSU Police Sgt. Daniel Ray.
On that day a man reported to OSU police “that while he was using the restroom on the 4th floor of the Math Sciences Building, he observed an iPhone protrude from under the stall next to him pointing toward his exposed genitals,” according to the affidavit.
“The victim stated he waited outside the restroom until the individual came out and then he followed him down to the 1st floor to the IT Help Desk area,” the affidavit said.
The victim said that the man was white, had a thin beard and was wearing a purple shirt, gray slacks and black dress shoes, the affidavit said.
“The victim believed the suspect worked for the OSU IT Help Desk,” the affidavit said.
When the OSU police sergeant contacted the supervisor, he said that he had an employee matching that description named Hartman, the affidavit said.
The OSU police sergeant interviewed Hartman that day in the supervisor’s office, the affidavit said.
“During the interview, the defendant admitted that he had used his phone to view others,” in the 4th floor men’s restroom, the affidavit alleged.
“The defendant advised that he never used the camera on his phone to capture an image, but just to view the person,” the affidavit alleged.
“The defendant informed me he had been viewing people in this clandestine manner for approximately five weeks,” the OSU police sergeant alleged in his affidavit.
Because Hartman was given a deferred sentence, he will not have a criminal record if he successfully completes the terms of his probation.
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