DENVER (AP) — Three women are suing a former Colorado jail commander and government agencies, claiming he repeatedly watched videos of their strip searches along with more than 100 others. The lawsuit argues officials failed to track who accessed the footage and why.
The proposed federal class-action suit, filed Wednesday, alleges La Plata County and its sheriff’s office knew Edward Aber had a history of sexual misconduct or harassment when he was hired. Despite that, they allowed him access to strip search footage without proper oversight.
Aber already faces criminal charges after state investigators determined he viewed strip search videos of at least 117 female inmates over about five years. He often replayed the footage weeks or months after it was recorded during intake, long after any legitimate security reason had passed. Female deputies performed the searches, and body cameras captured them to ensure new inmates weren’t hiding contraband like drugs.
Aber’s criminal defense attorney, Barrie Newberger King, was traveling and did not respond to emails or phone messages. A call to a number listed for Aber also went unanswered.
Another lawsuit tied to the jail was filed last month by the parents of an inmate who died there in 2023, alleging nurses and deputies ignored his pleas for help for roughly 15 hours.
According to an affidavit from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Aber was placed on paid leave in July 2024 while investigators looked into claims of sexual conduct with inmates and harassment of sheriff’s office staff. That probe ended without charges, but it led to a review of his computer activity.
Investigators found that between February 2019 and July 2024, Aber logged in more than 3,000 times, mostly to view body camera footage marked as strip searches. He allegedly watched the videos from home and hotels, often late at night or early in the morning, with no valid reason.
In July, prosecutors charged Aber with one count of first-degree official misconduct and 117 counts of invasion of privacy for sexual gratification, all misdemeanors. The charges involve the same women named in the new lawsuit, which also seeks to represent any other woman whose strip search video Aber viewed.
Some videos Aber accessed were later deleted, meaning the number of women affected could be higher than 117, the affidavit said.
The lawsuit accuses Aber and county officials of violating the women’s constitutional rights, including privacy and protection against unreasonable searches.
Attorney Kevin Mehr, who represents the women, acknowledged the necessity of strip searches in jails but argued limits should exist on viewing such invasive footage. He said the videos should only be reviewed if contraband was found or if an inmate reported mistreatment.
“Seeing this happen and thinking this could happen somewhere else really deteriorates the whole trust in the system,” Mehr said.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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