Polk County Tax Collector Joe G. Tedder says an employee accused of secretly recording women inside an employee restroom was terminated as soon as his office identified him as the person responsible.
The statement comes after the Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced that 60-year-old Sean Michael Krause of Lakeland was the suspect in a video voyeurism investigation involving a hidden camera discovered inside a women’s restroom at the Tax Collector’s Information Technology building in Bartow.
Krause, who worked as an IT manager for the Tax Collector’s Office, was later found dead in a wooded area of Colt Creek State Park. According to PCSO, investigators believe Krause apparently took his own life. The Medical Examiner’s Office will make the official determination.
Tedder, who has served as Polk County Tax Collector since January 1997, said his focus is on the employees affected by what happened.
“I am shocked and disturbed by these events and deeply saddened for the employees who were directly impacted by this terrible act. This employee was terminated as soon as he was identified as the perpetrator. I am proud of the way my staff acted when the matter was brought to our attention, how quickly the Sheriff’s Office became involved and for their professionalism in identifying the individual responsible before day’s end. We ask that the community keep in their thoughts and prayers the employees affected by this.”
The hidden camera was discovered Monday inside a disposable toilet seat holder box in the women’s restroom. According to PCSO, investigators reviewed an SD card from the device and found video showing a man placing the camera inside the restroom. Employees identified the man as Krause.
Investigators said the device contained multiple recordings involving at least three women who were recorded without their knowledge.
Sheriff Grady Judd said that had Krause lived, detectives intended to arrest him on multiple felony counts of digital video voyeurism.
