DA: Upskirting victim fought back by taking photos of the alleged perv with her own camera

A Norwood man had bail set at $150 today on charges he used an iPad to try to snap photos up a woman's skirt from a Forest Hills T-stop bench yesterday afternoon, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Joshua Gonsalves, 23, was also ordered to stay away from all T stops while his case is pending, the DA's office says.

Gonsalves is the first person arrested by Transit Police under the state's new ban on upskirting, which the legislature rushed onto the governor's desk this spring after the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that existing law didn't prohibit the practice.

According to the DA's office:

[Assistant District Attorney Kristina] Kerwin told the court that Transit Police were called to the busway at Forest Hills MBTA station at approximately 5:45 p.m. yesterday, where they spoke with the 26-year-old victim. The woman told officers that a man later identified as Gonsalves was standing in front of her as she waited for her bus but then disappeared from her line of vision. She then felt something brush against the inside of her right knee and saw Gonsalves sitting on a bench and holding an iPad that was faced up the victim’s dress, prosecutors said.

The victim was able to provide police with description of the individual as well as photos she had taken of him before he boarded a Route 34E bus and left the station.

As officers spoke with the victim, additional officers responded in the area of Washington Street and Granfield Avenue, where the bus Gonsalves had reportedly boarded was awaiting their arrival.

Gonsalves, who was holding an iPad in his hand when approached by police, was asked to exit the bus. During a conversation with police, Gonsalves allegedly made statements that he had seen news reports that photographing up a woman’s skirt was not illegal, prosecutors said.

DA Dan Conley had a warning for people who don't follow the news on a consistent basis:

Everyone has a right to privacy under their own clothes. Transit Police will arrest you and we will prosecute you if you violate it.

Innocent, etc.