Father Ysrael Bien is under investigation for failing to report a hidden camera in the men’s room of his church. After the camera was given to the priest, he took custody of the device – which has disappeared and remains missing.
The camera was found hidden inside of an oddly placed electrical outlet. The outlet was around waist-high beside a toilet in the church’s bathroom. A 15-year-old boy discovered the camera, removed it from the wall, and delivered it to the Father Bien.
Bien told the boy and his parents that he would report the finding to the police. He then proceeded to string the family along for nearly a month without ever reporting the camera to the police, lying to the parents throughout that time.
According to the Oregonian, the priest sent a Facebook message to the family trying to explain the situation away after they inquired why there had been no developments.
Sherwood police did not have enough to go with from the device. Two sets of fingerprints were found: mine and, by process of elimination, (your son’s). … They were hoping to find a third set of fingerprints to lead the to the perpetrator. But there was none. Not surprising because they said it is consistent with the modus operandi of the person they have in mind. The device – same style and model – is ‘affiliated’ with this person. Unfortunately, these are ‘circumstantial. Because of insufficient and inconclusive evidence, they are not able to place the person they have in mind in our church bathroom. …
Fortunately, however, other police departments are pursuing the same person for another on-going case investigation (I am not sure if it is a crime of a similar nature or different and bigger). Happily, this is where they are confident they are going to get him. So, officially Sherwood police investigation of our incident is over. But other police departments (Tigard or Beaverton, I’m not exactly sure) are currently pursuing the person they think is also our perpetrator …
Police were then contacted as the family of the boy were not satisfied with the priest’s response.
Bien has since claimed that the reason he did not contact police is because he was fearful of the consequences of the camera disappearing while in his custody.
The Archdiocese of Portland placed Bien on leave while Bien is currently being investigated for his connection.
