Syracuse's Former Athletics Media Director Accused Of Videotaping More Than 100 Athletes In Locker Rooms

Roger Springfield, 57, a former sportscaster fired last month as the Syracuse athletic department's director of media, was arraigned this morning on four counts of unlawful surveillance for allegedly making locker-room video recordings of male athletes from the Orange's football, lacrosse, and soccer teams. Springfield, whose real name is Roger Cahak, allegedly made the recordings listed in the indictment at the Carrier Dome, but he's also accused of making at least 10 other recordings that are beyond New York's statute of limitations or were recorded in other states. A total of 108 athletes have been identified by law enforcement officials as having been recorded, according to the .

The other recordings were allegedly made in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Tampa, Fla. While they're not part of the indictment, Onondaga County (N.Y.) district attorney William Fitzpatrick said he would speak with federal officials plus law enforcement in those states to determine whether any additional charges will be brought. Some of the recordings allegedly go back as far as 2002 and can't be prosecuted, since the state of New York didn't pass its law on unlawful surveillance until August 2003.

It was the Tampa video—recorded when the Orange football team played South Florida on Oct. 27—that was discovered by a Syracuse employee in early December, prompting the investigation. That footage allegedly contained 14 or 15 minutes of material from inside the locker room that the employee described as "clearly inappropriate." The university fired Springfield a few days later.

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There is no evidence Springfield disseminated the recordings or still images to anyone else, Fitzpatrick said.

There is also no evidence Springfield engaged in any inappropriate sexual contact with any of the athletes.

Fitzpatrick said it appears Springfield placed the camera at waist level and placed a piece of tape over the red light to conceal the fact it was recording. He said the authorities "quickly discounted" the possibility of that having been done accidentally.

Springfield has pleaded not guilty.

[ Syracuse Post-Standard]