Crime & Safety

B'ville Asst. Principal Allegedly Videoed Boys Showering

Patrick Lott, also a volunteer at Immaculata High School, faces numerous charges.

Bernardsville Middle School's assistant principal faces numerous charges after he was allegedly found in possession of videos depicting naked boys showering at Immaculata High School, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.

Patrick Lott, 54, of Somerville, was charged with 22 counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, nine counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, nine counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and nine counts of fourth-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

According to Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano, search warrants were executed at Lott's house on Dec. 13 and Dec. 16 through the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit. Detectives with the Computer Crimes Unit, Soriano said, also searched Lott's computer files and digital recordings.

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In the search, Soriano said, detectives found videos of nude boys showering in Immaculata High School's communal shower area. A total of nine of the teenagers identified in the video are under the age of 16, Soriano said.

Detectives, Soriano said, also found the spot in the school area where a camera had been installed for video recording. Soriano said Lott is affiliated with the high school as a volunteer.

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Lott was lodged in the Somerset County Jail, with bail set at $500,000 cash or bond. Soriano said that as a condition of Lott's bail, he is not to have any contact with any child under age 16, and cannot have contact either with any victims or the staff and faculty at Immaculata High School.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Somerset County
Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit at 908-575-3300, or the tip line at 1-888-577-8477.

All calls will be confidential.


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