July 16, 2021
On Thursday (July 15), a Wright County jury convicted Randall Roiger, 45, of Cokato of invasion of privacy – a gross offense – for installing a camera in a tanning booth at Snap Fitness in Annandale.
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office and Annandale Police were made aware of the camera in January 2019 when a 42-year-old woman noticed a hidden camera in the tanning booth. In the criminal complaint filed with the 10th Judicial District, Roiger alleged the camera was installed because he wanted to make sure people bought tanning salon minutes and stopped watching as soon as it was confirmed or people started to undress.
The Snap Fitness gym in Annandale will remain open and Roiger will continue to run as owner / manager.
In January 2021, the woman who charged Roiger filed a civil lawsuit against him and Snap Fitness, a nationwide chain based in Chanhassen. In the suit, she claims that Roiger watched her repeatedly undress without knowing that she was being watched. She is seeking at least $ 50,000 in damages, claiming she suffered both physically and emotionally from loss of dignity, fear of public toilets, embarrassment, and feelings of paranoia.
The civil case is to be heard in March 2022. Brian Lutes, District Attorney for Wright, said Friday his office is still investigating what sentence the court will impose on Roiger. Tenth District Court Judge Stephen Halsey is due to deliver the verdict on August 6th.