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OREGON CITY, Or. -- A Wilsonville man who hid a video camera in his bathroom and recorded his house guests was sentenced Thursday to 180 days in jail, five years on probation and required to register as a sex offender.
Marcelino Mauro Vera Ramirez, 45, pled guilty in February to four counts of Invasion of Privacy in the First Degree, a felony.
Ramirez was arrested after his house guests contacted the Wilsonville Police Department and reported Vera Ramirez secretly recorded an adult female and a 14-year-old girl.
On June 10, 2024, the girl noticed a camera in a waste basket when she stepped out of the shower. The camera was aimed at the shower. She noticed the camera was attached to a cell phone that was camouflaged with toilet paper. She reported the discovery to her mother who found the camera had been removed.
On July 13, 2024, the girl’s mother exited the shower and saw a camera hidden in the wastebasket.
The victims took the camera to the Wilsonville police who obtained a search warrant for the device. Police found numerous videos of the mother and daughter who were nude or partially nude. Police also found video of Vera Ramirez setting up the camera.
The experience left the victims traumatized.
“My life and my family’s life was completely destroyed,” the mother told Circuit Judge Michael Wetzel. The mother, who spoke in Spanish and was aided by an interpreter, said she felt guilt for failing to protect her daughter and still struggles with insomnia, nightmares and a feeling of betrayal.
“Since that moment, it has been extremely difficult for me to concentrate on anything. My mind constantly overthinks every detail of what happened and I live with ongoing anxiety. The hardest part is I no longer feel safe, not only in my own home but even when I am in other places, such as using the bathroom at someone else’s house,” the girl told the judge.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Rusty Amos sought a four-year prison term for Ramirez, noting that he was not remorseful or aware of how his actions harmed his victims.
“Ramirez seemed most concerned and worried about labels that have been placed on him. He showed little to no concern for the victims. In fact, he didn’t mention anything about victims and the impact his behavior had on their lives until … asked,” said Amos, citing a presentence investigation report.
Amos noted that Ramirez offered different reasons for his behavior: Addiction to pornography, addiction to voyeurism, addiction to objectifying women and resentment towards the victims because he supported them by providing housing, financial assistance and buying them a car.
“Which one is it? Or is it all of them?” Amos asked.
Ramirez and his attorney told Wetzel that Ramirez has been in therapy and a 12-Step program for sex addicts. Ramirez acknowledged the harm caused by his “devastating actions” and apologized to the victims and to his family.
Ramirez was a licensed chiropractor with an office in Tigard. His license expired in April.
Clackamas County Circuit Court case 24CR67988
