MERIDEN — A former high school assistant swimming coach is facing voyeurism charges, according to police.
Daniel Barillaro Jr., 23, was charged with voyeurism Tuesday following an investigation into a student complaint in January. Police say a cell phone was discovered recording in a Platt High School bathroom while a student was getting prepared to change after practice.
Barillaro turned himself in at the police department Tuesday and was released on $5,000 bond.
Police say Barillaro was identified as a suspect in the investigation and his cell phone was seized and analyzed.
“During the analysis of Barillaro’s phone there was no additional acts of voyeurism or victims identified,” police said.
Police identified Barillaro as a Platt coach in a statement to the media Wednesday. Platt and Maloney high schools compete as boys and girls co-op swimming and diving teams.
Immediately after the allegation, Barillaro was placed on leave by Meriden Public Schools and did not have further access to children, according to police.
Assistant School Superintendent for Personnel Louis Bronk said Wednesday that Barillaro is no longer employed by the school district.
Mayor Kevin Scarpati addressed reporters outside City Hall early Wednesday afternoon regarding the arrest.
Scarpati said from what he understood, the Meriden Police Department intervened immediately upon being notified by Meriden school officials.
Scarpati reiterated statements that police during their investigation searched Barillaro’s belongings and devices. The investigation concluded there were not other incidents or issues involving any other students, the mayor said.
“I do not for sure know exactly what was found on the phone,” Scarpati told reporters. “I do know that for this incident, the student noticed it as she entered the locker room, prior to actually getting changed.”
The mayor said despite speculation that there might be a more extensive history of similar incidents, “it doesn’t seem as though that there’s anything beside this one incident that occurred.”
“But, of course, if there’s any student that either has more information or has a concern … please reach out,” Scarpati said. “We want parents to know that they are welcome and open to reach out to the Meriden Police Department or the Meriden Board of Education if they feel there’s a threat or a concern.”
Scarpati said officials want to “ensure that the students and staff have our support, and [we] obviously know that this is a serious offense. The city of Meriden takes it very seriously.”
He thanked district officials for notifying police. The response to the incident, the mayor noted, “goes to show that the Meriden public school system and the police department do have a great relationship.
“…We have school resource officers at our high schools on a daily basis. We continue to have public safety personnel in the buildings on a daily basis and personnel available, so that if any student needs to seek additional help or ask additional questions, we have staff available,” he continued.
Scarpati said all staff members, including part-time coaches and full-time certified teachers, go through the same background check process.
“There is a vetting that is done for any employee, whether it’s district coach, teacher or administrator, background checks are conducted to that extent, making sure that is done properly,” the mayor said.
Scarpati said he knows that Barillaro is a city resident and that his family has been involved with the local community “for quite some time.”
Platt High School Athletic Director Richard Katz declined comment, when reached Wednesday.
Meriden Board of Education President Rob Kosienski Jr., when reached, said the arrested individual is “no longer an employee of the Meriden Public Schools.” Kosienski did not provide further comment.
Attempts to reach Barillaro or a family representative were not successful.
According to Record-Journal archives, Barillaro graduated from Platt High School in 2018.
Meriden Board of Education meeting minutes show he was hired as an assistant boys swim coach in 2019. Board of Education meeting records showed Barillaro was retained as an assistant swim coach for each of the following winter sports seasons, until his recent dismissal.
State statute defines voyeurism as knowingly photographing, filming, videotaping or otherwise recording an image of another person without that person’s knowledge or consent, “while such other person is not in plain view, and under circumstances where such other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.” The statute lists “intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of such person or any other person” through such recording as a criteria that would lead to conviction.
State law categorizes a first voyeurism offense as a class D felony. Voyeurism is recategorized as class C felony if there are subsequent charges, or if the intended subject of that voyeuristic act is younger than 16 years old.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Det. Kevin Ieraci at 203-630-6294 or kieraci@meridenct.gov.
State Department of Education educator certification records show Barillaro holds an active five-year coaching permit as an interscholastic/intramural coach. That permit expires March 16, 2026.
Chris Frazza, a parent whose daughter plays softball and volleyball at Maloney High School, said he was “very shocked’ when he learned of the voyeurism charges.
Frazza said if he was the parent of the student who discovered the camera, he doesn’t know what he would have done in response.
“It doesn’t matter where this happens,” Frazza said, adding he did not think it would happen in his own community.
“It doesn’t matter where this happens,” he said. “It happens.”
He lauded the student athlete who discovered the camera for reporting it, as well as officials for taking the complaint seriously.
“It’s a little bit of a better situation nowadays where people are supporting people that are stepping forward,” Frazza said.
Barillaro is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on Feb. 22.