LANCASTER – A 38-year-old transient accused of secretly recording females using the toilet at a Lancaster Starbucks, among other locations, was charged Monday with 19 criminal counts, including possession of child pornography, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Antonio Serrano aka Juan Antonio Lizardi faces seven felony charges – three counts of possession of child or youth pornography; two counts of second-degree commercial burglary; and one count each of counterfeit seal and identity theft, according to Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami.
The criminal complaint also lists a dozen misdemeanor charges, including trespassing and invasion of privacy.
Serrano entered a “not guilty” plea Monday. He was ordered back to court on July 30, when a date is expected to be set for a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
Prosecutors said the video recordings were made between May 1 and July 16 and were not limited to the Starbucks restroom. Four adults and four minors were videotaped in restrooms at the Lancaster Starbucks, Chuck E. Cheese, Olvera Street and at a mall in the Antelope Valley, Hatami said.
A criminal investigation began July 9 after a female customer reported that a cellphone was under a sink inside the single-occupancy women’s restroom at the Starbucks located at 855 West Avenue K in Lancaster, according to Deputy Joshua Stamsek of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
The cellphone — which was taped to the restroom sink’s pipe lining and positioned to record patrons using the toilet — was spotted by the woman’s 5-year-old son, officials said.
Detectives recovered a photo of Serrano from the phone and arrested Serrano on July 16, authorities said.
Detectives also discovered that Serrano was in possession of a government document with a false seal, additional cellphones and subscriber identity module (SIM) cards; and Serrano told detectives that he had been recording women and children using the restroom for a couple of months, which was confirmed by evidence found on the recovered cellphones and SIM cards, sheriff’s officials said previously.
If convicted as charged, Serrano faces a possible maximum sentence of 17 years and four months in state prison.
Bail was set at $175,000.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lancaster Station.
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Previous related story: Man arrested for video recording in Lancaster Starbucks bathroom
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Adam says
The AV is littered with pedophiles. Its pretty wild, I’m beginning to believe its a business here. They are usually white or immigrants, the two dominant groups here. Smh
Annonomys says
Its kinda hurtfulwhen someone says “someone claiming to know him” when i kno who wrote tht and we were just shocked and couldnt belive it cuz never once did he act likea freak around us girls …but then U think wait wat if it was true could he have gotten close to our family because we r mostly girls in our fam?and did he ever secretly watch us in the bathroom, i defenitly feel like my privacy was taken …..but then again i juss wonder if hes guilty or innocent and if they pushed him into saying he did it..just so they could stop questioning him …
soapbox superman says
its a setup..how does a transient have multiples of anything?…this guy is the fall guy…and they know it…just go to his court hearing and see if it gets thrown out for lack of evidence…his confession was co-erced…they know if he takes a deal he’s gonna get it in prison…so they give him a deal and close the case and plame the next found phone on the copycat…
Confused on this artcle says
It said an investigation started July 9th when the phone in Starbucks was found but recordings were found after until the 16th of July, are they saying he had multiple phones doing this at the same time?
Tim Scott says
There have been a couple articles about this, and in one of them it does say that they caught the guy with multiple phones and SIM cards. I would conclude that one or more of those phones were in use between the time the first one was found and when they caught up with him.
Claire says
I don’t know how you could conclude anything Tim! Since you have commented many times that all of the articles you read are not truthful. You can’t possibly come up with a credible conclusion.
Mary says
If he saw me, I can assure you he threw his brains up. I have three kids – imagine that sight for a moment. He would have to press charges against me just for having to seen ME.
Tony says
Unfortunately after 17 years (maybe less) this POS will continue doing his weird stuff, either here or in another country (if he gets deported) where ever he is from.
What a shame!
Cheryl says
I just saw this article on Facebook.. how disgusting. I’m glad this guy was caught. I used the Starbucks restroom during the time frame mentioned.. and now all I can think about is how many cops have possibably watched me wipe my business.. ugh.
Mary says
You can contact them to see if you were on that video. They had released an earlier article stating that. Again, if I was on there, they would be suing me just for having to see me. I have three kids and I look pretty darn narly – cops see it all – unless you picked your nose and ate it, or picked up your leg to fart, don’t worry about it. All they are interested in is finding as many victims as they can to draw a bigger case against this man and let’s hope this happens so that he can go away for a long time so that no one else has to be a victim of this horrible crime.
Tony says
Yes Mary,
Lets hope he will be put away for long time, but you know how it is, there will be a criminal defense lawyer that will try to get him the least amount of time.as.possible.
and we should read comments as well in this paper on behalf of this jerk! Saying that it is too much of a punishment and that cops planted the whole thing.
nice says
Previous comments, explained that this man LOST his phone before this incident happen, is that of any truth??
It’s so easy to blame, but so hard to prove your innocence… Sorry to the victims!!
Tim Scott says
I’m not one to believe the sheriff’s deputies just because…but…they claim they have a confession, multiple phones and sim cards they found on the guy…faking all that just to bust a transient seems pretty extreme even given the expected level of corruption in our local cops.
Diego Del Monte says
To Nice:
Maybe if you had pushed him to grow up, get a job and move out, he wouldn’t embarrass you so much.
No says
Someone claiming to know him said that he lost it July 4th well the recordings happened before this date, Reports said May 1st.
Tim Scott says
SMACK!!!!
A child on the recording turns a one year max into SEVENTEEN years!
Good catch by somebody. DA? Cops?