This story contains descriptions of sexual abuse and may be upsetting to some readers. Please see the bottom of this story for additional resources.
Kris Estrada, the American University student who pleaded guilty in November after reversing his original plea in five counts of voyeurism was sentenced on Wednesday to three years of supervised probation. He was originally arrested on Aug. 1, 2024 for taking video footage of an individual in the Bender Library second-floor men’s restroom on July 22, 2024.
Estrada received a consecutive and fully suspended sentence of a year for each of the five counts of voyeurism followed by 36 months of concurrent supervised probation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. dismissed the sixth charge of tampering with physical evidence as a part of Estrada’s plea deal.
AU Police Department Detective Joseph Barnes recovered voyeuristic images from over 50 separate days and of around 100 victims on Estrada’s confiscated phone, according to the prosecution.
Estrada will only serve jail time if he violates the conditions of his probation and each separate sentence would be served one after the other in the event of his failure to comply.
Estrada also has to pay the D.C. Superior Court’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund $50 for each of the five counts of voyeurism, a total of $250. He is additionally required to continue psychotherapy. Estrada’s stay away order from AU’s campus, which was issued when he was charged last year, will remain in place despite the defense’s objections.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow’s sentencing came over six months after Estrada was arrested and charged with five counts of voyeurism to five victims on different days and one count of tampering with physical evidence.
The decision was made after a 90-minute hearing which included testimonies from Estrada’s mother and therapist.
Charles Haskell, Estrada’s defense attorney, argued that Estrada’s actions should not be characterized as “terrorism” or “sexual assault” due to the nonviolent nature of the acts. He stated that the motivation behind Estrada’s actions was not to harm but to feel a sense of control. He also asked that the court reconsider the stay away order from AU’s campus.
Haskell said Estrada has no intention of committing any harm again and that the stay away order from AU is a “gut punch,” emphasizing Estrada’s love for the University.
The prosecution argued that the harm Estrada caused the AU community, “cannot be understated” and said that the stay away order must remain in place to protect not only the victims but the whole AU community.
Estrada posted on Instagram on Feb. 23 acknowledging the trauma and harm he caused the victims and the AU community. His account has since been made private.
“It cannot be understated how ashamed, embarrassed and remorseful I feel for the harm I have directly or indirectly caused to any and all survivors,” Estrada wrote.
In his post, Estrada said he would donate $1,000 each to RAINN, The Trevor Project, Respect Together and 1in6, four organizations committed to supporting survivors and preventing sexual violence.
He also said he would donate $2,000 to AU’s chapter of It’s On Us and $2,000 to AU’s chapter of the NO MORE Foundation along with a $250 donation to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. AU’s It’s On Us and NO MORE chapters both commented on Estrada’s post and said they would not be accepting his donation.
According to Haskell, Estrada has an ongoing proceeding within the Office of Title IX at AU and is still technically a student, though a stay away order is in place.
Pasichow decided to reevaluate the stay away order from AU along with the D.C. Youth Rehabilitation Act in four months to observe how Estrada adjusts to his probation. This hearing is scheduled for June 24, 2025.
Pasichow concluded the sentencing by emphasizing the importance of Estrada’s continued mental health services and said, “It will hopefully assist in the future, his future and the future of our community.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a statement from Estrada’s Instagram.
Students who have experienced sexual assault or harassment can seek support through confidential resources such as the University’s Center for Well-Being Programs and Psychological Services, the Student Health Center, the Kay Spiritual Life Center or the following hotlines:
- Collegiate Assistance Program: 1-855-678-8679
- Rape, Abuse, Incest, National Network (RAINN) anonymous chat
- RAINN hotline: 1-800-656-4673
- DC Rape Crisis Center: 202-333-7273
Non-confidential resources include the University’s Title IX Office and AUPD.
This article was edited by Payton Anderson, Tyler Davis and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks.
