Gloucester man removed as church deacon after allegedly filming ‘thousands’ of men in Williamsburg bathrooms

WILLIAMSBURG – Officials are investigating after a Gloucester County man was arrested in connection to the unlawful filming of men in public restrooms in Colonial Williamsburg.

George Thomas West, 76, was arrested and charged with 16 counts of unlawful filming of another person and one count of disorderly conduct, according to the Williamsburg Police Department.

The man is believed to have filmed “thousands of males” in Colonial Williamsburg and elsewhere in the region dating back to 1996, officials say. The Williamsburg-area filming is believed to have occurred primarily on Saturdays. Some of the images were shared online.

West is a resident of Gloucester County and was serving as a deacon at the Union Baptist Church in Hayes, according to WTKR News 3. He has since been removed from the position.

At a livestreamed church service on Aug. 10, the church’s pastor, Jared Berry, said evidence collected by authorities revealed an ongoing “sin issue” that was “hidden for a very long time.” The church’s leadership and even West’s closest friends were not aware of his behaviors, Berry said.

Anyone who believes they may have been filmed by West in a City of Williamsburg men’s bathroom is asked to contact Investigator Steve Roberts Jr. of the Williamsburg Police Department by email and include “West 825” in the subject line.

Multiple victims who were filmed on Aug. 2, 2025 – the day West was arrested – remain unidentified.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Peninsula Crime Stoppers by phone at 888-LOCK-U-UP or online here.