Police: Elgin man videotaped woman in shower

A 42-year-old Elgin man faces a felony charge that he video recorded a woman in her shower in May without her permission.

Elvin L. Adams, of the 300 block of Crystal Street, was charged this week for the May 14 matter in which he is accused of recording the 41-year-old woman in her home, court records show.

According to an Elgin police report, Adams and the woman, with whom he had three children during a 25-year relationship, were arguing about child support. The woman went upstairs to shower and Adams went into the bathroom, pulled back the shower curtain and began recording with his cellphone.

The woman grabbed a towel, but Adams cornered her in a hallway and tried to pull it off, according to the report. Adams was later arrested at his apartment on misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and, while being questioned by police, admitted recording the woman while they were arguing but denied going upstairs or into the bathroom.

Adams said he deleted the video and declined to let an officer examine the phone, so police got a search warrant, the report said.

He has previous convictions for felony marijuana possession, burglary, disorderly conduct, domestic battery and window peeping, according to prosecutors' statements in court records.

The woman obtained orders of protection against Adams in July 2001 and August 2006, records show.

Adams was in court Wednesday for the domestic battery case. It was not immediately clear when he was to be served with a warrant on the video recording charge.

If convicted on the video recording charge, Adams faces punishment ranging from probation to three years in prison. The battery charge is punishable by up to a year in jail.