On November 20th, 48-year-old Sanjai Syamaprasad was sentenced to serve six months in jail for violating the privacy rights of patients at a Long Island sleep center. He will also be required to serve five years on probation.

According to court records, the suspect is a former employee of Northwell Health Sleep Disorders Center. Between July 2023 and April of 2024, Syamaprasad reportedly placed numerous hidden cameras throughout his workplace, including in private areas like bathrooms. These cameras were disguised as smoke detectors, but they were actually capturing hundreds of thousands of photographs of individuals in compromising positions.

Disturbingly, Syamaprasad’s illegal activities were discovered while he was on the job. An unidentified co-worker allegedly saw Syamaprasad watching a video on his phone while he was on the job. While briefly looking over at the phone, the co-worker became extremely suspicious when he noticed the video appeared to show what was happening in the facility’s bathroom area. The co-worker reported the unsettling incident, and the facility began investigating.

When the Northwell Health Sleep Disorders Center confirmed the co-worker’s suspicions, Syamaprasad was immediately fired and law enforcement agents were notified.

When law enforcement arrived at the suspect’s home, they discovered him attempting to discard several memory cards and recording devices into a nearby dumpster.

Prosecutors seized more than 300 videos, which showed the private body parts of hundreds of people. Unfortunately, police were only able to identify a handful of specific victims, including one child, so the suspect’s charges revolve around those five victims. According to reports, as many as 13,000 patients and staff were recorded in total.

In the beginning, the suspect entered into a not guilty plea, but after hearing about the evidence against him, he switched his plea to guilty. Initially, the suspect was only going to get probation as a result of his actions, but impactful victim statements helped convince the judge that jail time was necessary. The suspect will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Several victims who were harmed by the employee’s actions are now pursuing a class action lawsuit against the Northwell Health facility. The health facility has already sent out around 13,000 letters to potential victims, but the actual number of victims could be much higher at this point.

Unlawful Surveillance in Brooklyn

In Brooklyn, unlawful surveillance is a serious felony offense. A conviction can result in a sentence of anywhere from four to seven years in prison. On top of that, the offender will also need to register as a sex offender, pay court-ordered fines, and serve out a probation sentence. Since these charges are felony offenses, a conviction will also lead to a loss of some rights. Convicted felons cannot vote or possess firearms. They might also struggle with housing and employment opportunities.

If you’ve recently been accused of unlawful surveillance or you’re considering filing a civil lawsuit against an offender, then our team can help. We have both criminal defense attorneys and civil rights attorneys on our team.

Schedule a free case evaluation with our legal team now by leaving your contact information on our online form.