West Point Sergeant Sergeant Accused of Taking Photos, Videos of Female Cadets Now to the unfolding scandal at west point, a sergeant first class accused of spying on and videotaping female cadets planting hidden cameras in the bathroom and in the showers. Abc's jim avila has the latest from washington right now. Jim, good morning. The soldier in question lived and worked with cadets at west point, in fact, his job description says he was there to coach and train them on leadership and responsibility. Instead he's accused of taking advantage of as many as a dozen of them. &#9834; the charges are formal and wordy, dereliction in the performance of duties, cruelty and maltreatment and conduct that is prejudicial to good order and discipline but in simple terms a sergeant first class in the u.S. Army, one michael McClendon is accused of being a peeping tom at west point. They are serious charges but really scratch the surface at what's happening at west point and other academies. Reporter: This morning, sergeant McClendon has been removed from duty and sent to ft. Drum in upstate new york as the army investigates accusations that he took dozens of naked photos and videos of female cadets over a nearly five-year period. Some of the pictures snapped secretly in the women's bathroom and showers. I think this behavior absolutely damages the reputation of west point. I mean, west point is considered the elite academy. Reporter: These new charges came to light at a time when the military is already under fire for its mistreatment of women. A pentagon report released this spring estimated that up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year alone. Lieutenant colonel -- Reporter: Last month this lieutenant couple was arrested and charged with fondling a woman in a suburban d.C. Parking lot in the shadow of the pentagon. The colonel was in charge of the air force's sexual assault prevention program. The president and secretary of defense have demanded a crackdown. If we find out somebody is engaging in this stuff they've got to be held accountable. Reporter: The army says a full investigation is now under way and those responsible will be held accountable.