SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – A complaint about a tanning salon in Sullivan County leads to one man’s arrest for voyeurism.
Authorities have arrested 50-year-old Norman Parnell of Sullivan on three counts of voyeurism.
Click here to view court documents filed in this case
.
The investigation started after Sullivan City Police received a complaint on April 18 from a customer at Parnell Studios.
Court documents
state that while tanning at the salon, the customer reported seeing a cellphone appear in the corner of a vent in the private tanning room in which she was tanning.
According to
court documents
, the customer reported the phone was then quickly removed, and she reportedly saw the suspect, Norman Parnell, walk by the door toward his office. Parnell was working at the tanning salon at the time of the complaint.
“This was an instance where an individual knew that something was not going on properly,” said Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Matt Ames. “She confronted the individual and then immediately the Sullivan City Police Department.”
Police obtained a warrant for Parnell’s cell phone. Court documents state authorities found two videos, one shot in November and another shot in April.
Authorities say the videos appeared to be shot in a closet through a vent. One of the videos reportedly shows a female getting out of a tanning bed and the other reportedly shows a female preparing to tan.
Authorities identified these females and interviewed them. The probable cause affidavit says that both females stated that Parnell offered them the opportunity to tan in that room for free.
Indiana State Police say the investigation became prolonged due to the length of the forensic download and the necessity of identifying all victims in the case.
“Another detective then went through and interviewed every individual that was a victim,” said Ames.
Police say detectives do not believe anyone else was involved.
Parnell was arrested on Wednesday and has posted bond.
WTWO reached out to the owner of the salon, the suspect’s wife, Tarah Parnell for comment.
She says she was unaware of her husband engaging in the activity and she is sorry for the victims.
Parnell says she has worked hard to keep her salon safe and comfortable for her customers, the suspect is no longer employed.
