MOULTRIE, Ga. (WALB) - The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office says one person has been arrested following an investigation into unauthorized cameras installed at Withers Auditorium.

According to the sheriff’s office incident report, the cameras were not located inside public bathrooms or dressing rooms, but were found within close proximity to those areas.

Investigators identified the suspect as Joshua Briones, 53, of Moultrie. Briones was hired to provide audio and lighting services for an event at the auditorium.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH WOMAN WHO KNEW MAN ARRESTED:

Briones faces one count of sexual battery and one count of unlawful and illegal eavesdropping and surveillance.

Investigators say other individuals are also under investigation.

The sheriff’s office said the sexual battery charge does not involve a minor. Investigators also said the sexual battery allegation is a separate incident and, at this time, does not appear to be related to the eavesdropping or surveillance investigation.

The Colquitt County School District previously said it immediately cut off the vendor’s access to district facilities after discovering the unauthorized cameras and contacted the sheriff’s office.

The district said the cameras were not located in public restrooms or locker rooms and that it is reviewing its security practices.

Withers Auditorium is used by schools throughout the district, as well as several local community groups.

The school district sent the following message to parents about the situation:

“Dear Colquitt County Families,

I need to share some very difficult news that affects our entire community, and I believe you deserve to hear it from us directly, honestly, and without delay.

We recently discovered that an outside vendor hired to handle audio and visual support at Withers Auditorium installed unauthorized cameras. To be clear, they were not found in public bathrooms or dressing rooms.

We immediately revoked the vendor’s access to school district properties and contacted law enforcement. The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office is now leading a full criminal investigation, and we are cooperating with them fully.

I know reading this is alarming, and it fosters concerns and heavy questions. As a parent or guardian, your first thought is naturally whether your own child was affected. I want to be entirely honest with you about exactly where things stand right now, without guessing or speculating:

This evening, sheriff’s deputies arrested the vendor.

Right now, we still don’t know how long this had been going on, what was recorded, how many students might be involved, or where that footage went. We promise to share verified details with you the second we have them.

This investigation is ongoing, and we are letting the experts at the Sheriff’s Office take the lead.

Because Withers Auditorium is a hub used by every single school in our district — as well as several community groups — this situation touches almost all of us. We intend to be as transparent as possible with our entire community.

Please know we are not just waiting around for the investigation to finish. Right now, we are thoroughly reviewing how we oversee our facilities, and how we secure every single space our students use. We are also making counseling and emotional support available for any student or family who needs help processing this. You can access these free, confidential resources by reaching out to your school counselor or social worker.

If your child mentions anything to you that you think might be helpful to the case, please share it with the Sheriff’s Office by calling 229-616-7430 and asking for the investigator over the case.

Words don’t seem adequate right now. Keeping your children safe is the absolute core of why we are here, and we feel the weight of this deeply. We will not stop pushing for full accountability and total transparency as this unfolds.

Sincerely,

Dan Chappuis

Colquitt County School District"

Officials also said counseling and emotional support resources are available to students, staff, and families who may need them.

WALB is working to obtain Briones’ mugshot and additional information about the investigation, including whether anyone was recorded and whether additional arrests or charges are expected.

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