Michael David Barrett, the insurance excutive accused of secretly videotaping ESPN reporter Erin Andrews nude in her hotel room, was allegedly released on bond yesterday.
According to police, Barrett created the videotape of Andrews by aiming his cell phone camera through an altered peephole in her hotel room door. The video was in part uploaded to the Internet and created a frenzy. At least 8 videos were taken of Andrews; seven at a Tennessee hotel and an eighth in Milwaukee. Andrews remained in seclusion for months following the video release.
Barrett has also been accused of videotaping several other woman by modifying hotel room doors. He may also have tried to sell the videos to TMZ, a gossip website and television show about celebrities.
Barrett will most likely not have a job to return to, however. Combined Insurance Company of Glenview, Illinois, Barret’s employer, has said that Barrett is suspended for an indefinite amount of time.
According to the Seattle Times, Barrett was released yesterday on $4,500 bail. He must wear an ankle monitoring bracelet during his release and is forbidden from using the Internet. Assistant US Attorney Steven Grimes said that two computers and cell phones have been confiscated from Barrett as evidence during the investigation.
The man arrested for unknowingly filming ESPN sportscaster, Erin Andrews, has been released on bail. Michael David Barrett was arrested on Friday, and released on a $4500 bond on Monday. He is charged with interstate stalking, which has a maximum penalty of $250,000 and five years in federal prison.
Barrett is required to wear an ankle bracelet for monitoring and is expected to appear in court on October 23rd. While waiting for sentencing his not allowed to use the internet. He is ordered to home confinement if he is not at work or a doctor’s office. His company, Combined Insurance Co., has suspended him indefinitely.
This case has brought hotels across the US under fire from guests and lawmakers. The hotels aided Barrett in his stalking of Andrews, by giving him information about her room number, and if she was staying at the hotel. In several cases, Barrett was allowed to actually reserve the room next door to Andrews.
Barrett used his cell phone camera to make at least eight videos of a naked Andrews. He took the videos through the hotel room peepholes. He posted these videos to the internet, and attempted to sell the videos to a celebrity gossip site. The celebrity gossip site TMZ, turned him in, and, which ultimately led to his arrest.
Erin Andrews has returned back to work at ESPN.
Insurance salesman, David Barrett, 47 of Westmont Ill., had his whole scheme blow up in his face as he was trying to film ESPN bombshell, Erin Andrews, using his cell phone.
He had apparently checked into 2 separate hotels in rooms that were connected to hers. Once in the rooms he then altered existing peepholes to accommodate his cell phone for the filming!
Apparently Barrett, requested the rooms next to the celebrity, and received them. He even gave them the correct e-mail address for a contact. When questioned concerning the alteration, an employee of the hotel stated that had worked there for 15 years and had never seen a peephole in that condition. He had done that at both both hotels and had several videos.
After the videos were made Barrett tried, allegedly, to peddle them to the celebrity tracking website TMZ. He tried to sell the videos through a yahoo account. He also posted the videos on the internet. He actually posted seven of eight videos that he had taken.
He appeared in court on Saturday, and was ordered to appear in California, TMZ’s home base. His attorney Rick Beuke professed that he has known his client for 10 years and has never had any trouble with the law, and that he is “just a regular guy–a great friend.”
Erin Andrews Stalker Arrested
Erin Andrews, the ESPN sportscaster, has been dealing with a stalker for over a year. Unbeknownst to Andrews, she had been filmed in her hotel rooms. Most of these videos occurred at the Marriot Nashville at Vanderbilt University. Some of the videos were posted to the internet. These pictures were aired on TV by various networks as well as printed in several newspapers.
The FBI has stated that insurance salesman, David Barrett 47, had been following Andrews around the country, using a cell phone to take videos. Barrett knew Andrews schedule, and would call around to different hotels in the area and ask if she was a guest. Unfortunately, some hotels gave him the information. In one incident with the Marriott, he was able to request the room next to hers. He used a hacksaw and rigged the peephole in order to use his cell phone camera to take pictures. A similar incident was discovered at the Ramada in Milwaukee.
Barrett attempted to sell the videos to the celebrity gossip site TMZ. TMZ refused and turned him into the authorities. Barrett was arrested at the Chicago O’Hare Airport and has been charged with interstate stalking. Barrett will be taken to California to face the charges. Andrews has stated that she will help to make to strengthen the stalking laws to better protect victims.
Erin Andrews on Oprah
Erin Andrews, the sultry sideline sensation will explain the trials and tribulations of her tumultuous summer on the Oprah Winfrey show airing September 24th. The ESPN reporter recently had nude videos of her walking around her hotel room posted all over the internet. Andrews has had to defend rumors that she posted the videos herself intentionally for the exposure. The well spoken reporter plans to file a lawsuit against the perpetrator.
Popular social media outlets and blogs have been buzzing over the news. The increased web traffic has caused some of the sites to refer to her as “Erin Pageviews” as a result. Oprah is always there to lend a kind ear when a celebrity is going through a difficult time. Andrews, an ESPN reporter since 2004, has been blindsided by the media buzz. It will be interesting to see Erin Andrews on Oprah, on the other side of the interview process. Nobody can deny that the extremely popular ESPN reporter has been dragged through the media ringer over the summer.
The Oprah Winfrey interview should help the hard working 31 year old reporter move on from the incident. Find out all the details of the incident on September 24th.