Former Kroc Center employee faces two charges of unauthorized video recordings in locker room

QUINCY — A former employee at the Kroc Center has been charged with two counts of unauthorized video recording.

Erik M. Carlson, 19, made his first appearance with attorney Richard “Riff” Scholz in Adams County Circuit Court on Dec. 19 before Judge Tad Brenner. However, Scholz withdrew as counsel at a Wednesday, Jan. 10 status hearing and was replaced by Jeffrey O’Brien.

A charging document filed Dec. 19 in Adams County shows Carlson faces one count of unauthorized video recording, a Class 4 felony, after allegedly making a video on June 16, 2022, of a person without consent in a locker room at the Kroc Center, 405 Vermont. He also faces a count of unauthorized video recording of a victim under the age of 18, a Class 3 felony, after allegedly making a video on May 7, 2023, of a person without consent in the locker room at the Kroc Center.

The Quincy Police Department started its investigation in May after it was contacted by a female under the age of 18 who believed she had been unlawfully recorded. Detectives received video surveillance of the business and eventually seized Carlson’s cell phone, which was sent to another agency for data extraction. The video from June 2022 was found on the phone as part of the extraction.

If found guilty, Carlson could be sentenced for between two and five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on the Class 3 felony and for between one and three years on the Class 4 felony. 

Carlson’s next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on Feb. 14.

A photo of Carlson was unavailable from the Adams County Jail.