Penn Township man accused of recording sex, posting photo to Facebook without partner's knowledge

Editor’s note: The criminal case against Shawn Gootz was dismissed on March 16, 2023, according to a court order. The accuser testified during the hearing, and afterward prosecutors moved to dismiss the case. Judge Scott O. Mears approved the prosecution’s request.

A Penn Township man is accused of posting on his Facebook page a photo of himself engaged in a sex act with a woman who did not consent to the image being taken, according to court papers.

Shawn Gootz, 42, is charged with obscene materials, unlawful dissemination of an intimate image and two counts of invasion of privacy. Township police said he video recorded a woman and he engaging in sexual activity and then took a screenshot of the video.

The situation was reported to authorities Nov. 8 after a relative of Gootz was notified of the photograph on his Facebook page. The relative took a screenshot of the photo, and she and the woman in it went to the police, according to court papers. The woman told authorities she learned this year that Gootz had video recorded them having sex after he sent her a video clip and threatened to send it to another man.

Detective Brad Buchsbaum reported in court papers that he found the photograph in question by looking at Gootz’ Facebook page, which at the time was open to the public. The woman told police she never consented to the video recording being made or photograph being posted to Gootz’s social media account.

The complaint was filed Tuesday, and the charges are being sent by summons. Gootz did not have an attorney listed in online court records. He could not be reached for comment.

A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 18.

Gootz previously served two years in a probationary program and 60 days on electronic monitoring on charges of stalking and harassment, according to online court records. The charges were filed by Westmoreland County detectives in connection with a 2013 incident in Hempfield.