New Jersey’s Freehold.Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced that a Red Bank man was sentenced to eight years in state prison for snooping around on the recordings of 27 women and girls without their permission and escaping from police during a traffic stop.
Last year, Christopher W. Cox, 35, entered a guilty plea to charges that included three counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree fleeing police. Along with his jail term, Cox will have to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and be under parole supervision for life.
Cox used his cell phone to secretly record videos of innocent victims at grocery stores, big-box stores, and even their homes while working as a plumber, according to the investigation, which was headed by the Shrewsbury Borough Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau.
One such instance happened on October 20, 2022, when Cox was seen using his cell phone to record female customers from behind while he followed them throughout the ShopRite in Shrewsbury. During a traffic check on Red Bank’s Newman Springs Road a week later, Cox first obeyed the officer’s commands before getting back into his SUV and driving off, almost pulling the officer. Later, he was captured in Little Silver.
From Cox’s possession, investigators found a large number of digital video files, many of which were taken from below using his phone hidden in objects like duffel bags or grocery baskets. Other evidence, including videos taken inside his clients’ houses, confirmed similar recordings at other stores in Union and Monmouth counties.
Prosecutor Santiago stressed the significance of justice for the victims and called Cox’s conduct extremely upsetting. We believe this result is fair, acceptable, and required given the evident need to prohibit such behavior, after consulting with the victims, Santiago stated.
A 67-count indictment delivered by a Monmouth County Grand Jury in April 2024 contained the initial charges against Cox. In a subsequent plea hearing in October 2024, he acknowledged his offenses against all 27 identified victims.
