New Jersey assistant principal arrested for videotaping students in the shower

Patrick Lott, the assistant principal of Bernardsville Middle School in Somerville, NJ, has been charged with secretly videotaping boys showering at Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has announced. Lott volunteered at the Catholic high school.

Lott, 54, was arrested last week after a police search turned up videos of nude teenagers in his Somerville home, the Star-Ledger reported. The police had been notified by Immaculata officials that Lott had been acting inappropriately at the school, CBS News reported. Detectives later discovered the location at the school where he allegedly placed his camera, according to CBS News.

Prosecutors said at least 22 boys were captured on video and nine of the boys are currently under age 16, CBS News reported.

Lott was a well-regarded school administrator and winning wrestling and basketball coach who was active in Republican politics, MyCentralNewJersey.com reported.

According to MyCentralNewJersey.com:

During recent years Lott tried relaunching a political career he started in the 1980s as a Watchung school board member. In his new home of Somerville he ran for a Borough Council seat in 2006, 2007 and 2009, when he lost to Democratic opponent Tom Mitchell by fewer than 20 votes.

Lott also chaired Somerville’s Republican Committee in 2010, the Star-Ledger reported.

Lott declined to enter a plea at his arraignment on Wednesday, and remains in the Somerset County jail today as he has not posted his $500,000 bail, the Star-Ledger reported.

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