Felon who recorded women using hospital bathroom sentenced

A 28-year-old parolee who hid in a ladies' restroom at a Riverside hospital, recording visitors as they used the facility, was ordered today to register as a sex offender.

Sergio Eduardo Quezada, an undocumented immigrant, earlier this month admitted two counts of unlawfully concealing a camera to capture video in violation of privacy laws under an agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia against Quezada.  

During a sentencing hearing Wednesday at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Superior Court Commissioner Eric Isaac certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed a six-month jail term on the defendant. However, because his time in county jail awaiting disposition of the case exceeded the term of incarceration, the time behind bars was abrogated.   

Isaac ordered Quezada to register as a convicted sex offender under California Penal Code section 290, which prohibits sex registrants from holding certain jobs to prevent contact with minors, limits where they can loiter and requires them to advise law enforcement of where they're living.

Quezada was due to be released from the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta Wednesday afternoon.

He was arrested in August following a Riverside Police Department investigation at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center on Magnolia Avenue.   

According to police, about noon Aug. 2, security personnel at Kaiser were alerted to a man in the women's lavatory, ensconced in a stall and recording visitors as they used the bathroom.

Guards immediately detained Quezada, holding him until patrol officers arrived a short time later and took him into custody without incident, according to the police department.

"He had a drug pipe in his possession and, yes, officers found evidence on his phone implicating him in the very illegal recordings,'' according to an agency statement.

The number of victims was not disclosed.   

"Kaiser Permanente is aware of the disturbing reports about (the) conduct at Kaiser Permanente's Riverside Medical Center,'' according to a statement released by Kaiser to City News Service in August. "We are deeply committed to maintaining a safe, secure and respectful environment for ... anyone who visits our facilities. We continually review our practices and thoroughly investigate incidents to learn and strengthen our practices wherever possible."   

According to court records, his prior convictions include auto theft, evading arrest, receiving stolen property and felony vandalism.