A grand jury has recommended charges be filed against two Pleasant Valley School District officials accused of illegally placing a surveillance camera inside a staff break room.

A county court judge approved a grand jury presentment last week, representing the latest development in an incident that took place in April 2016.

The case, which was brought to light when concerned staff contacted the media, is now in the hands of the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.

The two employees — the supervisor of support staff and technology supervisor, allegedly installed a Wi-Fi camera in the break room at Pleasant Valley Elementary School without notifying staff.

Staff say that was a violation of privacy because administrators told them that they could use the faculty room for personal telephone calls and related matters.

The grand jury recommended that Joshua Krebs, supervisor of support staff, and Alex Sterenchock, technology coordinator, both face charges for alleged violations of the Pennsylvania Wire Tap Act.

Pleasant Valley Superintendent David Piperato said that the attorney for the school board is reviewing the presentment, and declined further comment.

Piperato was hired by the school board in March to replace then Superintendent Carole Geary, who retired July 31.

Krebs did not return messages left Monday afternoon.

According to the presentment, on April 6, 2016, faculty members noticed the camera, placed atop a vending machine, and reported it to their building representative.

The representative, John Gesiskie, met with the school principal and Krebs, who allegedly admitted that he had placed the camera atop the vending machine the night before, in order to film a custodian he believed was taking extended breaks while on duty.

As supervisor of support services, Krebs oversees the district’s custodial staff.

Krebs said the camera filmed throughout that school day, even though the custodian worked a night shift. He also told Gesiskie that the camera was set up to download onto his computer and stream on his smartphone.

The administration had previously determined that employees were permitted to have private conversations in the break room, according to court documents.

The district’s head custodian, Crystal Reph, said she was told by Krebs that the camera had been installed to film the employee in question. Krebs also told her that he had heard another custodian say on the recording that she couldn’t keep up with the workload, and was considering leaving her position.

Two days after the camera was discovered, 35 faculty members were called to a meeting where Krebs said he installed the camera along with Sterenchock. He said that most of the recording was deleted, however he would not guarantee that there would not be further surveillance in the future.

Krebs and Sterenchock have not been officially charged, but the grand jury has recommended that they each face two felony counts for violating state wiretapping laws.

The grand jury will continue to investigate whether the incident violated other statutes of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, including bribery in official and political matters, threats and improper influence in official and political matters, retaliation for past official action and official oppression.