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NH Reporter Charged With Hiding Camera In Bathroom

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A newspaper reporter was charged Thursday with hiding a camera in a women's bathroom at the building where he worked.

Rochester police said Conor Makem, 45, of Dover was charged with a felony count of falsifying evidence and 12 misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy.

A woman discovered the camera on Oct. 7 on the second floor of Merchants' Plaza building, where several businesses are located. She showed it to Makem, who told her it wasn't a camera and then threw it away before police could examine it, police said.

Police later took his laptop, work computer and cell phone.

Makem, who worked part time for the Rochester Times, was held on $10,000 bail and is due back in court Friday. It could not immediately be learned if he had a lawyer.

Rodney Doherty, executive editor of Foster's Daily Democrat, which also publishes the Rochester Times, said the paper will continue to cooperate with police.

Makem was fired.

"We're extremely disappointed in the situation," Doherty said. "It's difficult to understand. We, as you know, in the news business, we read and hear all the time that neighbors and friends are shocked at what went on. We'll just wait and see. There's still a lot of investigation to do."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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