UTICA -- A Utica man was arrested for allegedly filming under the skirts of women shopping at local stores.

According to Utica Police, they received a report from a local store concerning a woman who said that her and her young daughters were followed by 54-year old Michael Scotellaro. The woman said she wasn’t sure what the man was doing but she was concerned.

Police say that store security watched surveillance video and saw several images of Scotellaro approaching the woman and placing something under the woman’s skirt.

Police say security then contact police. They conducted surveillance on Scotellaro and saw him acting in a similar manner. During a search of the suspect’s work locker, officers found a video camera.

According to police, a search warrant was then issues for Scotellaro’s house in Utica. During the search, officers seized a computer and several storage devices. A metal knuckle knife was also discovered.

Police say the video contained images from under the women’s skirts and several images of child pornography. The suspect allegedly placed a video camera under the skirts of unsuspecting women at larger retail businesses in Utica and New Hartford during the summer months but may have been doing it longer.

Scotellaro was charged with 6 counts of possession of sexual performance of a child, unlawful surveillance, and criminal possession of a weapon.

The Utica Police Department asks that anyone who may have had an unusual encounter like this, or feels that they may have been a victim, to please call 223-3552.