SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- A man charged with taking inappropriate pictures at Sussex Tech's homecoming will still have to pay $160,000 to get out of jail.
Elias Stephens was charged with 80 counts of Violation of Privacy after state police alleged Stephens had been intentionally secretly videotaping, photographing, or filming under girls' clothing at the homecoming dance in September. Troopers say Stephens was operating a photo booth at the dance.
Stephens' bond conditions included no contact with any of the victims and barred Stephens from possessing any device capable of taking pictures or videos. If Stephens were to post the $160,000 bond, the court originally required GPS monitoring and pre-trial supervision.
On Wednesday, a Department of Justice Commissioner denied the defense's request to change or lower the bond amount and conditions that were imposed last week. What's more, according to the Department of Justice, the commissioner added extra responsibilities on any bail bondsman who provides bond to Stephens to ensure he appears in Delaware court.
Last Week, the Sussex Technical School District issued the following statement after Stephens' arrest:
The District is pleased to have assisted and cooperated with the Delaware State Police during the thorough and diligent investigation. The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and our school safety officers are present at all school functions for the protection of students and staff. When concerns were brought to the attention of administrators, we acted immediately and informed law enforcement authorities on hand. Counseling services are and have been available to any member of the Sussex Tech community.