West Bloomfield Township trustee arraigned in hidden camera case

A West Bloomfield Township trustee was in court on Friday morning to face charges related to hidden cameras found in the bedrooms of two Southeast Michigan women. 

Jibran "Jim" Manna, 65, was charged with two counts of capturing an image of an unclothed person and five counts of installing a device for eavesdropping. The capturing image charge carries up to five years in prison, while the installing a device charge carries up to two years. 

Bond was set at $100,000 during the hearing on Friday in the 48th District Court. He will not be allowed to use the internet, a camera or a computer if he is out on bond, according to instructions given during arraignment. He will also be ordered to surrender his passport and wear a GPS tether if released. 

Two women had gone to the West Bloomfield police on Aug. 9 to report that they had found devices they realized were cameras hidden in the smoke detectors of their rooms. As the investigation proceeded, additional cameras were installed to determine who might be responsible. 

As police looked into the situation, investigators say multiple cameras were found, including devices disguised as electrical outlets. 

Investigators say they searched a cellphone where videos from the cameras appeared to have been uploaded. Some of the images, including 36 videos, were explicit and from hidden cameras, according to testimony in court. Some of the videos date back to April 2025. 

Because the case involved a local government official, the West Bloomfield Police Department said it immediately referred the case to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. The county's Computer Crimes Unit recovered multiple devices connected to the investigation, the sheriff's office said.  

Manna is among the four elected trustees serving on the West Bloomfield Township Board. 

"These are serious allegations, and while we understand that many residents will have questions, it is important that we allow the legal process to proceed," Township Supervisor Jonathan Warshay said.