Cashier accused of upskirting women hundreds of times inside Watchung convenience store
A North Plainfield man is being held at the Somerset County Jail after he was charged with taking hundreds of videos under the shorts or skirts of unsuspecting females, some of whom were less than 18 years old, inside a Watchung convenience store over nearly two years.
Miguel A. Melchor-Gomez, 54, has been charged with five counts of second-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child, four counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, one count of fourth-degree invasion of privacy, one count of fourth-degree tampering with evidence and one count of fourth-degree obstructing administration of law, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said.
Melchor-Gomez was employed as a cashier at the Circle Convenience Store in the Sunoco station, 53 Stirling Road, Watchung, where between December 2021 and Aug.19, 2023, he used his cellphone to film underneath his victims’ clothes, the prosecutor said.
Melchor-Gomez either pretended that the credit card machine malfunctioned and directed his victims to the counter where he would stand close to his victim to complete the purchase, or he would position himself very close to the victim at some other location inside the store, according to the prosecutor.
The vast majority of the victims are adults, but several are under 18 years old, McDonald said.
At this time, there is no evidence that Melchor-Gomez shared or disseminated these videos, according to the prosecutor.
At the time of his arrest, police seized Melchor-Gomez’s cellphone and conducted a forensic examination of it, the prosecutor said.
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Police are identifying the victims in the videos. Police ask individuals who believe that they may be victims to attempt to identify the date on which they were inside the convenience store (through credit card records, etc.), and the clothing that they wore that day (through photos on their cellphones, home surveillance cameras, etc.).
After victims have attempted to identify the date on which they were inside the convenience store, they may contact the Watchung Police Department at WPD.TIPS@watchungpd.com or 908-756-2504.
The matter is being investigated by Detective Brian McLaughlin and Sgt. Peter LaVecchia of the Watchung Police Department and is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Savino French of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Superior Court Judge Julie Marino ordered Melchor-Gomez held in the Somerset County Jail pending his trial.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Watchung NJ convenience store cashier accused of upskirting women
