New obscenity complaints filed against Irwin man accused of hiding video camera in plant

A former employee at a North Huntingdon electrical parts manufacturing plant already accused of hiding a motion-activated camera inside a women’s restroom at the business was arrested again Wednesday on 49 additional counts.

Nicholas R. Traill, 32, of Irwin, was arraigned before District Judge Wayne Gongaware on charges of burglary, invasion of privacy, possession of obscene materials, harassment and stalking filed by township police in connection with the investigation at the Cleaveland/Price Inc. plant at 14000 Route 993.

The complaints were filed after police said home computers confiscated after his arrest Jan. 8 showed Traill downloaded images of three female coworkers using the bathroom at the plant.

Traill, who was free on unsecured bond, was ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison on Wednesday after failing to post $30,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing May 28.

According to court papers, township officer Jay Kettren said one of the female victims discovered a digital recording device hidden inside a women’s restroom at the plant on Jan. 5. The company is a designer and manufacturer of high-voltage electrical products, including switches and sensors.

The motion-activated device was hidden behind several rolls of toilet paper on the toilet in the women’s restroom, Kettren said.

Traill “voluntarily” went to police and admitted “he did place the device with the intent to view it later and watch the women,” Kettren reported.

Police also discovered nine audio recordings between a foreman and female co-workers. Kettren said none consented to being recorded.

One woman told investigators that Traill and she became “work friends” and he began leaving her gifts of stuffed animals, Target gift cards, notes, poems and a four-page letter on her car at work.

“(The victim) stated that she had to tell him to stop doing this. She stated that Traill’s behavior caused her enough emotional duress that she took active steps to change her daily activities,” Kettren reported.

Traill has been fired, according to Cleaveland/Price Vice President Carl Heller Jr.

Heller reported in January that the company was doing “everything we can to assist police in their investigation.”

Traill’s attorney, Richard Galloway of Greensburg, could not be reached for comment.