NORTHLAKE – A maintenance supervisor at a suburban food facility is facing multiple charges of unauthorized videotaping after police allege he secretly recorded his coworkers using the restroom.
The hidden camera was installed inside a private, gender-neutral employee restroom at Pures Food Specialties, a cookie and snack manufacturing plant in Northlake, where at least 29 employees were unknowingly filmed, according to police.
Jesus Salazar, a 45-year-old Glen Ellyn resident, was charged in Cook County after investigators discovered hidden camera footage on a memory card in his backpack.
According to police, the recordings showed multiple employees of Pures Food Specialties, located at 13 East Lake Street, being filmed without their knowledge.
“They feel violated, of course, and they are having difficulty getting past this,” said Peter Sadelski, an attorney at Ed Fox & Associates.
The disturbing discovery was made in January while conducting a separate investigation.
Salazar was arrested at the time by Glen Ellyn police on suspicion of criminal sexual assault of a minor and delivery of a schedule IV controlled substance. The alleged assault happened in September 2024, according to DuPage County prosecutors.
According to the police report, detectives discovered a “mini camera with a memory card and wireless transmitter” inside Salazar’s backpack while conducting their investigation. Detectives obtained search warrants to review all of the footage, and the report adds: “It showed employees’ private parts as they used the restroom at Pures Food Specialties.”
The police report goes on to say, “One of the videos showed the offender setting up the video device inside the restroom stall.”
According to the Northlake Police Department, at least 29 employees, both male and female, were secretly recorded in the restroom. The Pures Food Specialties management team identified fifteen of them, seven of whom expressed an interest in pursuing charges.
As a result, Salazar was charged in Cook County with seven counts of unauthorized video recording.
“Privacy is expected in locker rooms and bathrooms. Clearly, they lacked privacy in this situation. For a while, they had no idea what was going on until he was arrested,” Sadelski explained. “It must have been shocking and disgusting to know that someone videotaped them in such a compromising position without their consent and knowledge, for months at a time.”
Sadelski represents two workers who were unknowingly videotaped. He claims the camera was installed under the sink, facing the toilet.
“I just cried, I was overwhelmed, scared,” one of the victims told Fox 32 Chicago. “I used the washroom so you can see all of our parts.”
The victim who spoke out asked Fox 32 not to reveal their identity.
“I am afraid he will leave and go work somewhere else, where there are children and other people to record. I do not want him to be able to walk free and do the same thing he did to us; it is just horrible,” the victim added.
Salazar was arraigned in Cook County Court on Tuesday morning, but he was released with conditions and placed under home confinement.
Victims claim the violation has caused emotional distress and anxiety, and they are seeking accountability.
“Everywhere I go, I look under the sink, you never know how people think,” the victim told me.
“This should not happen to anyone. It is repulsive, and I sincerely hope that they receive justice,” Sadelski said.
Next steps: FOX 32 Chicago attempted to contact Pures Food Specialties for a statement, but did not receive an immediate response.
According to Sadelski, Salazar is no longer employed by the company.
Salazar is now facing charges in both DuPage and Cook counties. He is scheduled to appear in court again on August 25 for the unauthorized videotaping charges.
Salazar is scheduled to appear in court on July 22 in connection with the sexual assault charges in DuPage County.
