Robert Dolan: Elderly Man Arrested For Taking Pics Of Boys In YMCA Locker Room
Robert Dolan, 72, allegedly took pictures of boys inside of a YMCA locker room with his cell phone in Colorado on Thursday.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, Dolan was caught taking pictures of boys younger than 16 years of age “in various stages of dressing and undressing.”
An authorized search warrant apparently allowed detectives from the Special Victims unit to investigate further — especially when it came to the technology found within Dolan’s home.
“Detectives completed a search warrant for the suspect’s cellular telephone and computer equipment and electronic media located at his residence… It was learned the suspect had frequented the YMCA five times in the past week. On Friday additional warrants were executed to search the electronic media recovered from the suspect. Detectives with the Computer Forensic Team and Internet Crimes Against Children Unit assisted in execution of the warrants.”
Carrie Bair-Norwood, a spokesperson for the YMCA Pikes Peak Region, opened up about the incident to the Colorado Springs Gazette. She confirmed that Robert Dolan was a “member in good standing” who was also known as a “regular” attendee.
Bair-Norwood further stated that staff members quickly removed the children from the locker room after Dolan was caught taking pictures of them. During an interview with KRDO-TV, she stressed the importance that the YMCA places on keeping children safe within each location as well as the protocol that the organization has enforced in regards to photography.
“The YMCA has very strong protocol and rules and regulations around photography in the YMCA, as well as just keeping our children safe while in our care. It is important to have protocol and to have us all looking out for each other, because we want to keep our kids safe, and we want to keep our families and adults safe as well.”
Robert Dolan was arrested by the Colorado Springs Department on Friday afternoon. He was reportedly charged with three felonies — sexual exploitation of a child (production), sexual exploitation of a child (possession), and the invasion of privacy for sexual gratification.
In its report, which was posted on its Facebook page, the Colorado Springs Police Department confirmed the expectation that “there will be additional counts of these felony charges.”
Even though it is believed that Robert Dolan only targeted young boys, according to the Daily News, police detectives reportedly expect a “lengthy” process when it comes to victim identification in this case.
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