Worker At Smoke Shop Near UT-Austin Charged With Recording Woman In Bathroom, Groping Another

AUSTIN, TX — A worker at a smoke shop near the University of Texas at Austin campus was booked into jail this weekend after being accused of recording a woman using the bathroom and groping another, according to a published report.

According to an arrest affidavit, Manesh Vislavath, 22, allowed two women to use the bathroom inside the smoke shop located at 2801 Guadalupe St., the Austin American-Statesman reported. One of the women noticed an iPhone strategically placed in the bathroom, and noticed it was recording. The victim stopped the recording before handing the phone to Vislavath, asking him to delete the video.

But before this occurred, the other woman who had waited outside the bathroom for her friend accused Vislavath of pushing her against a wall while groping her and kissing her on the neck, according to the affidavit. The woman pushed him from her, after which Vislavath expressed how "tempting" she was while fondling himself over his clothing, according to the newspaper account.

Patch dropped by the store on Monday afternoon, and spoke with store manager Will Segura. The store manager said Vislavath was immediately fired after the incident. The jailed worker had only been working at the store a little over one month, Segura said, and had passed a required background check.

"That guy got fired," Segura said. "That is unacceptable behavior; it's appalling. I got a call at 3 a.m. from the owner telling me I had to open the store on Sunday. I don't even know how to react; I feel as though it should be implied that is horrible behavior. It's not something you should do to someone."

On the day of the impromptu interview, Segura was training another young man as a clerk to replace Vislavath. Segura was still stunned the worker he had entrusted — who greeted him warmly each day he arrived to work his shift — would be capable of the charges he now faces.

"He seemed like a regular dude," Segura said. "But I guess you can never tell."

Later confronted by police following the women's complaint, Vislavath reportedly apologized for his actions. But his contrition wasn't enough to prevent him from landing in the Travis County Jail, where he was booked into on Saturday under $5,000 bail, according to the affidavit.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

Photos by Tony Cantú