Swim coach accused of hiding camera in changing room and recording teens, AZ cops say

A 41-year-old youth swim coach was arrested after a teen swimmer found a camera hidden in a bathroom, Arizona officials said.

In 2023, a 14-year-old girl found a phone hidden in David Laudati’s backpack pocket while in the bathroom after the Arizona Dolphins finished practice, according to a July 30 Facebook post from the Buckeye Police Department.

McClatchy News reached out to the Arizona Dolphins for a statement on July 30 and was awaiting a response.

The girl found the phone hidden in the backpack’s “mesh pocket” while it was sitting on the changing table, officials said. When she looked at the screen she saw the camera app was open.

Officers performed a search warrant on Laudati’s Goodyear home and found photos of girls ages 14 to 17 undressed or nude on his phone, police said.

Detectives later learned Laudati was also coaching swim at Millennium High School in Goodyear, officials said.

McClatchy News reached out to Millennium High School for a statement on July 30 and was awaiting a response.

Three victims were identified, police said.

Laudati was arrested at a home in Newington, Connecticut, on eight counts of attempted voyeurism and 11 counts of voyeurism, officials said.

He will be extradited back to Maricopa County for prosecution, police said.

Buckeye is about a 40-mile drive southwest of Phoenix.

This story was originally published July 30, 2024 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Swim coach accused of hiding camera in changing room and recording teens, AZ cops say."