Former NASA engineer recorded sexual encounters without consent, documents state
After analyzing evidence, detectives determined Eric Sim would use glasses with a hidden camera to record some of the women.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Investigators with Houston police returned to the home of a now former NASA engineer to execute another search warrant after finding videos of his sexual encounters on his previously seized devices, court records show.
Eric Sim, 37, is charged with seven counts of sexual assault with seven different victims listed.
At the same time as his arrest in late February, investigators took several devices from Sim's home as part of a search warrant.
Forensic analysis of an external hard drive turned up a folder labeled "sex tapes" and several other folders with women's first and last names, according to an affidavit for a search warrant filed on June 24. Detectives noted finding numerous videos of sexual encounters in Sim's home.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Aerospace engineer no longer with NASA as 7th sexual assault charge filed against him
"Under each of the woman's folder, there were photos of that woman saved, there were also screenshots of text messages saved," the detective wrote in the affidavit.
"Also on the Hard Drive, there was an Excel spreadsheet with 437 first and last names of women, ethnicity, the year he met them, and the location where their sexual encounter took place," the affidavit notes.
Detectives noted that they were able to cross-reference the spreadsheet and the videos and contact at least five of the women seen in the videos. Each of the women said they did not consent to being recorded. They did tell police that they consented to the sexual encounters, according to the affidavit, although several said Sim pressured them.
One woman told the detective that she had a suspicion that she was being recorded.
"Complainant stated that during sex she felt as though the suspect was positioning her to face the computer and it was awkward," the affidavit said. "Complainant stated when she came out of the bathroom after the sex and the suspect was closing windows on his computer and it completely weirded her out."
Sim's attorney, Neal Davis, is pleased with the new information coming out in the case. He believes the videos will prove that the women accusing him of sexual assault actually consented to the sexual activity.
"Yeah, this is about as close to a smoking gun as you can get," Davis said. "It's on video."
Through analyzing the video evidence, detectives determined that Sim used glasses with a hidden camera to record the videos. They note in the affidavit that he would position the glasses on a table near his bed to record the videos.
"I don't believe anything in the affidavit about eyeglasses or anything a detective says in an affidavit," Davis said. "I want to see it myself."
Houston police executed a search warrant on June 21, during which they confiscated 14 pairs of sunglasses from his home.
Sim has not been charged for any of the videos. The district attorney's office declined to comment Thursday.
"A question they could certainly answer is, 'Are you in possession of videotapes of consensual activity with the named complainants in these cases?'" Davis said. "Let her answer that question for you."
NASA confirmed to ABC13 that he is no longer employed there but did not detail the terms of the separation.
Sim is currently out on bond and is due back in court on July 23.
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