Victim in York County bedroom-camera case asks judge to keep suspect jailed
A woman who had a hidden camera secretly planted in her York County bedroom pleaded with a South Carolina judge Tuesday to keep the man accused of hiding the devices jailed as the case moves forward.
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As the case continues, prosecutors say they are waiting for more information from search warrants that could lead to more charges against Charles Douglas Lieske, the man who allegedly put secret cameras in the bedrooms of two females, including one who is a minor.
Yet Lieske’s lawyer said in York County criminal court that he is not a danger to the public and deserves to be released pending trial.
Lieske was in court Tuesday seeking bail after his arrest last month on two counts of voyeurism and three counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Visiting Judge Eugene Griffith did not rule on bail at the hearing. He said he would take the matter under advisement and issue a ruling soon.
One of the two victims told Judge Griffith that although she had known Lieske for years, the secret cameras have shocked and scared her and her family.
“I don’t know who he is, or what he’s capable of,” the woman told Griffith. “My sense of security; shattered.”
The woman told Griffith the “correct” place for Lieske is in jail as the case plays out in court over the coming months.
“It ensures the swiftest justice for all of us, so that this isn’t hanging over our heads,” the woman said in court. “It provides a sense of peace and security for our family.”
The woman told Griffith that when Lieske was first arrested two weeks ago and got out on bail, he went to a neighbor’s house before he was re-arrested on more charges.
“I am asking you to consider not his job, not his life, but please consider our life and how we start to rebuild beginning today,” the woman said.
Another victim, a teenager, watched the court proceedings from a viewing room, prosecutors said.
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The Herald does not identify victims of sexual crimes.
Lieske, 60, did not speak in court Tuesday.
His lawyer, Jim Boyd, said Lieske has no criminal record and has strong community ties. He would stay with a family member in Tega Cay if released on bail, Boyd said.
“I don’t think there is any indication he’s a flight risk or a danger to the community,” Boyd told the judge.
The investigation started when screenshot pictures from a video feed were discovered, according to a sheriff’s office incident report. Prosecutor Hannah Woods on Tuesday said York County deputies investigated after a social media account led to a cellphone that Lieske had.
A sheriff’s office incident report said the cameras were disguised to look like cellphone chargers.
After finding out about the two hidden cameras, detectives found three photos related to the sexual exploitation of a minor charges, according to Woods.
Lieske faces as much as 36 years in prison if convicted on all five charges. Deputies are also still investigating “other electronic devices” and are awaiting search warrants to continue the probe, Woods said.
“We don’t know if there will be more charges coming,” Woods said.
Prosecutors had concerns that Lieske, who travels internationally for his work and owns properties in both Carolinas, could flee the country if released.
Prosecutors also said the victims are worried about “running into him while these charges are pending.”
If a bond is set it should reflect “the seriousness of the charges,” Woods argued.
No trial date has been set.
This story was originally published September 1, 2026 at 3:24 PM with the headline “Victim in York County bedroom-camera case asks judge to keep suspect jailed.”
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