Erin Andrews: I Hope Stalker Never Sees Light of Day

Dec. 15, 2009 — -- In a blistering statement in front of a federal judge, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews called Michael David Barrett a "sexual predator" who should "never see the light of day."

Barrett, a former Illinois insurance executive, pleaded guilty today to interstate stalking after admitting he secretly taped and then tried to sell nude videos of Andrews shot while she was in hotels rooms.

Andrews, 31, said Barrett's actions "have had a devastating impact on me, my family and my career."

She told the court she is now routinely subjected to crude remarks by stadium crowds when she is on the job.

Barrett, 47, was arrested Oct. 2, 2009 at Chicago O'Hare Airport. He could face up to five years in prison but in exchange for changing his plea to guilty, Barrett reportedly would spend no more than 27 months behind bars.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2010.

"I hope that today's action will help the countless others who have been similarly victimized," Andrews said in a written statement after Barrett's arrest. "For my part, I will make every effort to strengthen the laws on a state and federal level to better protect victims of criminal stalking. I am also grateful to those who have expressed their concerns and good wishes for my family and me."

Police say Barrett made as many as eight separate videos and then posted them on the Internet starting last in July.

The FBI said one of the occasions was in Nashville, Tenn., where Barrett requested to stay in the hotel room next to Andrews. Barrett is suspected to have taken videos from his cell phone through the peephole in the reporter's door. According to the criminal complaint, Barrett cut the peep holes ahead of time so he could remove them quickly and easily without making much noise once Andrews was in her room.

The second videotaping incident officials say took place in a Milwaukee hotel although Barrett never checked in at the hotel there.

Officials say Barrett then attempted to sell, via e-mail, the grainy videos to entertainment Web site TMZ.com, where an employee notified Andrews' attorney. The FBI said the e-mails were traced back to Barrett.

TMZ, which is based in Los Angeles, did not post the videos, but they did surface across the Internet on adult Web sites.