Former Utah church leader pleads guilty to photographing woman inside Opry Mills dressing room

Natalie Neysa Alund | The Tennessean

A former leader with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Utah pleaded guilty Monday to unlawfully taking a photo of a woman inside a dressing room at the Opry Mills Mall earlier this year.

Metro police arrested Steven Murdock, 55, of Salt Lake City, in August after the victim told police he guided her to a dressing room at H&M.

Davidson County prosecutors said the victim was inside the store, approached the dressing rooms to try on clothes and encountered Murdock, who guided her to an available room to change.

While inside, the affidavit continues, the woman undressed, looked up and noticed a black phone with it's camera over the edge of the stall.

When the woman got dressed and left the stall to call police, she encountered Murdock who appeared from the stall where the camera was angled over from. As the woman attempted to take the phone from him, she saw pictures of herself on it and watched him delete some of them.

During a hearing Monday, Murdock pleaded guilty to an unlawful photography charge and Judge Samuel Coleman placed him on supervised probation for the next year. Court records show he also agreed to forfeit his cell phone and is required to complete 48 hours of community service, pay court costs and undergo counseling.

The judge also issued a stay-away order from the victim and the mall.

Police said Murdock was visiting Nashville when the incident occurred.

According to church leaders in Utah, he previously served as a high councilor at several local congregations in Salt Lake City.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.