DIRTBAG ROUND UP Jonathan Oldale indicted on charges of producing child porn by hiding camera at children’s gym; English subject faces 30 years in Federal prison
GREENBELT, MD. – Using camera technology that until recently was only available to spy agencies and movie production studios for filming hit movies, a Chevy Chase man now faces thirty years in prison after the accidental discovery of a spy-key fob he placed in dressing rooms of a Silver Spring gymnastics club.
Federal prosecutors announced that Jonathan Oldale, 54, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was arrested on April 13, 2018, based on a criminal complaint charging him with the production of child pornography.
After the Maryland charges were filed in November of 2017, the attorney for Oldale asked for bond for the release of her client.
During the hearing in Montgomery County Circuit Court to modify bond conditions, $25,000 bond was set on Dec. 21, 2017, and since Oldale is a subject of the United Kingdom, his passport issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was surrendered and placed in the court registry, according to Maryland court records.
A Jury trial was set for May 16, 2018, to last two days following Judge Albright filing to recuse from the case. Attorneys for Oldale are Laura Kelsey Rhodes and Elizabeth Pentecost, of Rockville, Md.
The arrest was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; who said that according to the complaint, the investigation of Oldale began when officers from the Montgomery County Police Department responded to Silver Stars Gymnastics and Fitness in Silver Spring, Maryland based on the report of a suspicious situation.
The backpack had been placed under a wet floor sign directly in front of the bathroom’s only toilet. The camera itself was hidden inside a non-functioning automobile key fob.
An employee at the business had found a camera hidden inside a backpack in a restroom. The backpack had been placed under a wet floor sign directly in front of the bathroom’s only toilet. The camera itself was hidden inside a non-functioning automobile key fob. When the employee recovered the camera, it was hot to the touch and had a very small, illuminated light indicating the device was in the “on” position. Further investigation revealed that the backpack belonged to Oldale and that the backpack had also been left in the bathroom three weeks prior.
In May 2017, the Montgomery County Police Department executed a search warrant at Oldale’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. A detective with the Montgomery County Police Department’s Electronic Crimes Unit completed a digital forensic examination of electronic evidence seized from the home. A program used to securely delete (i.e., “clean”) files from computers was discovered. The detective also identified installations of a browser that enables anonymous communication and access to the “dark web.” The distribution and sharing of child exploitation images and videos is one illegal activity known to take place on the “dark web.”
In addition, the forensic analysis uncovered various computer artifacts indicating that the user had accessed files with names indicative of child exploitation material. Forensic analysis also revealed references to a known, but then-defunct website from the “dark web” that had provided users access to child pornography. The website had been shut down by law enforcement in December 2016.
Based on this evidence, the Montgomery County Police Department executed a second search warrant at Oldale’s residence in July 2017. Cameras containing SD memory cards were seized from Oldale’s office. Subsequent forensic examination of the SD cards revealed hundreds of videos filmed in the bathroom of the residence. The videos show that multiple cameras were used simultaneously to record activities in the bathroom. The videos depict children taking off their clothes or bathing suits, taking showers, and getting dressed. At least 30 children were filmed. The videos also depict Oldale checking camera angles.
Further investigation by the Montgomery County Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that when children attended “splash parties” at Oldale’s residence, the children would become covered in grass. According to a witness, Oldale made children take showers before they went home.
Oldale faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for production of child pornography.
MONTGOMERY POLICE REPORTED ARREST OF JONATHAN OLDALE WHO LEFT SPY CAMS IN SILVER STAR GYMNASTICS AND FITNESS CLUB
CHEVY CHASE, MD. Detectives from the 2nd District Investigative Section arrested Jonathan Oldale, 54, of 5402 Greystone Court in Chevy Chase, Md., for conducting visual surveillance of an individual in a private place without his/her consent with prurient intent.
On May 5, 2017, Montgomery County Police officers responded to the Silver Star Gymnastics and Fitness Club located at 2701 Pitman Drive in Silver Spring for a suspicious situation. The complainant, a club employee, stated that approximately three weeks prior, he located a backpack on the floor of the business’ unisex bathroom. At the time, the employee picked up the backpack and noticed that it contained various cords and wires. He exited the bathroom and was approached by a parent whose children are enrolled in gymnastics classes at the studio. The parent, identified as Oldale, stated that the bag belonged to him and took the bag.
The employee further stated that on the day he called the police, May 5, he had located the same backpack underneath a “Wet Floor” sign on the floor of the bathroom. Upon inspecting the backpack, the employee noted that a camera had been placed inside what appeared to be an automobile key fob and then put in the backpack. The employee noted that the camera was hot to the touch and a light on the camera was illuminated, indicating that the device was in the “on” position. The employee removed the camera from the backpack and waited to see if anyone would retrieve the bag. The employee observed Oldale remove the bag from the restroom. Oldale then approached the club’s front desk two times to ask the receptionist if anyone had turned in a key fob.
Detectives obtained search warrants for Oldale’s home and vehicle. Investigators located an instruction manual for a key fob camera in Oldale’s vehicle. A digital forensic exam was completed on a computer located in his home which revealed two videos of unidentified females who appear to be school-age being surreptitiously recorded while they were urinating in a bathroom. Those recordings do not appear to be original videos; they appear to have been downloaded from the internet. At this time, detectives have not located any videos that include victims from the gymnastics studio.
On October 11, 2017, Montgomery County Police say that detectives obtained a warrant for Oldale’s arrest, charging him with conducting visual surveillance of another person in a private place without consent. Oldale turned himself into detectives on October 18 and was transported to the Central Processing Unit. He was released on bond.
Parents with concerns because their child has previously been in contact with Oldale may email investigators at: OldaleInvestigation@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Parents are asked to describe, in as specific terms as possible, what their child’s interactions have been with Oldale. A parent may also email a photograph of the child to assist investigators, but a photograph is not required.