Cops: Professor Filmed Student "Upskirt" Videos

SEPTEMBER 23--A college professor who used a camera pen to secretly film under the clothing of two students explained to police that he was attempting to gather evidence that one of the women “was not wearing undergarments,” which he thought was “inappropriate,” according to a police report.

That explanation, however, did not keep cops from arresting Don Samuelson, 65, on a pair of felony video voyeurism counts. Samuelson, who teaches at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, allegedly victimized the two students on four separate occasions this year.

One of the victims “became aware of the videotaping” as it occurred about three weeks ago, noted investigators in a University of Florida Police Department report. During a subsequent search of Samuelson’s office earlier this month, cops recovered the camera pen, which had an integrated USB thumb drive.

In addition to the “upskirt” videos, the camera contained “several other videos of females working in Samuelson’s laboratory and/or meeting with him in his office,” police reported.

The clips for which Samuelson has been charged showed, for example, “the gap” between one woman’s chest and the v-neck of her shirt and “upper/inner thighs normally concealed” by a victim’s dress.

After being read his Miranda rights, Samuelson (seen at left) claimed that he was “attempting to gather proof” that one of the women “was not wearing undergarments” in class. When asked about the occasions during which he “directed the camera pen at students’ breasts,” Samuelson “acknowledged that this activity was ‘inappropriate.’”

Samuelson has been on administrative leave since his Gainesville office was searched by police. If convicted of the voyeurism charges, he faces a maximum of five years in prison on each felony count. (2 pages)