A former southwestern Illinois police officer has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of illegally taking cell phone videos of women at a tanning salon.
The Edwardsville Intelligencer reports 46-year-old Michael Collins entered his pleas this week to unauthorized video recording charges. Each is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Madison County prosecutors accused Collins last month of secretly recording different women over a four-day period at a Glen Carbon tanning salon.
Collins had served 15 years with Edwardsville police and was the senior patrol officer before resigning just days after being charged.
Authorities say the case surfaced when a salon customer accused Collins of taking pictures over the wall from an adjacent room as she prepared to tan.
