Lucky Peeping Tom: Hospital Worker Who Secretly Recorded Hundreds in Bathrooms Avoids Jail Time

A former Long Island sleep center worker who admitted to secretly recording hundreds of patients and staff members in bathrooms has avoided jail time, receiving only probation in a plea deal that has left prosecutors expressing disappointment.

Sanjai Syamaprasad, a father from Brooklyn, installed Velcro dots in nine bathrooms at the Northwell Sleep Disorders and STARS Rehabilitation Center where he worked in Manhasset, and used the dots to position a spy camera disguised as a smoke detector in places where it could record the shower and toilet, according to prosecutors.

Syamaprasad, 48, pleaded guilty to unlawful surveillance and tampering with physical evidence in Nassau County Court on Tuesday, July 15. Judge Meryl Berkowitz offered five years probation and sex offender registration, but no jail time, citing Syamaprasad’s remorse and completion of a program.

Judge Meryl Berkowitz offered five years probation and sex offender registration, but no jail time, citing Syamaprasad’s remorse and completion of a program.

The case stems from Syamaprasad’s work as a sleep technician at the Northwell Health facility, where he was caught in April 2024 watching the illicit footage on his phone during work hours. Northwell fired Syamaprasad last year after he was caught watching the videos at work, and alerted law enforcement.

Prosecutors seized more than 300 videos that recorded body parts of hundreds of people, but based on who they could identify, they were only able to bring charges involving five victims, including a child. The recordings captured patients, staff members, and children using the facilities between July 2023 and April 2024.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly expressed sharp criticism of the sentencing decision. “This case deserved jail time,” she said. “It’s not a one-off. It’s not one time, one night he did this. It was night after night after night, victim after victim after victim.”

Donnelly had recommended one to three years behind bars for each count. “This was a massive, massive violation of people’s privacy and rights,” she said, adding that the plea deal sends the wrong message.

Defendant Avoids Media

After the hearing, Syamaprasad bolted out of the courthouse, refusing to answer questions. Brenda Pellettieri, a former sleep center employee who was among the victims, noted the irony, saying “It’s just very ironic how he can film people sitting on the toilet and in the showers, and then he puts a mask and a hat on and runs out covering his face.”

The defendant is due back in court on September 15, 2025, when sentencing will be formalized and all sides will have an opportunity to speak.

The case has prompted ongoing litigation against Northwell Health, with attorneys representing the victims seeking accountability from the healthcare system that employed Syamaprasad during the months-long surveillance operation.