Lifeguard secretly videotaped girls at aquatics center restroom, authorities allege

A lifeguard has pleaded not guilty to charges that he videotaped and photographed girls and women in a public restroom and an employee locker room at the Verdugo Aquatic Facility, officials said.

Arturo Montano, 22, denied two counts of annoying or molesting a child, as well as six counts of using a concealed camera to secretly record or photograph someone who may be undressed in an area where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, according to Senior Assistant City Atty. Denny Wei.

Last week, police found images and videos on Montano’s phone, according to Burbank police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.

A co-worker had reportedly seen the camera in a locker room and told a manager. Investigators subsequently served a search warrant at Montano’s home in Sun Valley and seized his computer.

Montano was hired by the city in May 2009 as a part-time locker room attendant. The following year, he started working as a part-time lifeguard, working seasonally until 2013, when he started working year-round as a part-time lifeguard when the city began opening the pool all year, city spokesman Drew Sugars said.

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