A US Army officer who led Cal Poly’s ROTC program has been arrested on suspicion of spying on minors in multiple dressing rooms.
Lt. Col. Jacob Sweatland, 39, was arrested by Pismo Beach Police for invasion of privacy and resisting arrest, according to a complaint filed by the San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office on Feb. 10.
Army Times reported that a girl found Sweatland’s recording device in a dressing room that contained images from multiple stores. The complaint confirmed the girl was a minor at the time of the crime, around Sept. 2, 2022. Sweatland was arrested on Sept. 4.
The university has “worked closely with Pismo Beach Police” during their investigation and “determined that no criminal activity connected with this case” occurred on Cal Poly’s campus, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier.
“Sweatland has not been on campus teaching classes or interacting with students at Cal Poly pending his criminal proceedings,” Lazier told mustang News. “Cal Poly takes very seriously any conduct or behavior that could negatively impact our university community.”
The head of the Military Science Department is a position appointed to Cal Poly by the US Army, therefore Sweatland is not an employee of the university, Lazier said. In a clarification to the Army Times article, a US Army Cadet Command confirmed that Sweatland has been removed from his posting at Cal Poly.
“Cal Poly is awaiting word from the Army as it completes its investigative process,” Lazier wrote.
Sweatland will appear in court on Friday. If found guilty of the misdemeanors, Sweatland can face up to a one-year sentence.
The SLO DA’s Office did not provide any additional details outside of the complaint filed.