Fallout over the controversy led Kathy Bryson to withdraw her filing for re-election earlier this year.

Kathy Bryson waited almost a year to report the discovery of the clandestine video equipment, which she said she was made aware of by Kay Bryson in October of last year, when he confronted her about what he allegedly caught on the tape.

Scott Bryson says he was traveling out of town each week on business and knew his mother was using his place for meetings.

After she showed up one day, surprised to see him there, he eventually had a conversation with his father about installing the equipment, he said.

"She is telling him all these lies . . . and I want to get to the bottom of this."

The equipment was installed, and Scott Bryson said it only took a couple of weeks to discover a tape with incriminating evidence against his mother.

The condo in question was occupied by Scott Bryson from June until December of last year, but is in Kathy Bryson's name. The son paid the rent to her, she said, adding that her son knew she frequently stopped by the apartment in his absence.

Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy said Kay Bryson came to the department concerned about thefts of property from the condominium.

"He asked if we could install some video equipment to find out who was stealing their property."

Tracy said the request was not viewed as unusual, even though the alleged thefts were taking place in Salt Lake City, because the department routinely assists other jurisdictions throughout the state because of its expertise.

"We do this all the time."

The employee, a detective with technical expertise in the area, did it while off duty, Tracy said.

"The equipment wasn't being used at the time."

Salt Lake Police Capt. Mark Peck said a records check of the address shows no complaints of theft from the residence, and Kay Bryson said he turned to a Utah County Sheriff's detective out of convenience, rather than notifying local authorities.

Kay Bryson did say his daughters had suspected infidelity on the part of his wife six months earlier but denied the equipment was set up to catch his wife in a compromising situation.

"If I had known or believed it was my wife involved, the equipment would have been installed in the bedroom so it would have caught her there in a sexual act. It was not installed in that manner. It was simply to see who was entering the apartment and nothing more."

Kathy Bryson said whatever the reason, it was a violation of her privacy, and if there were concerns about a burglary, it should have been reported to police. She waited to report the allegations, she said, because of the fear of her husband's power in the law enforcement community.

"That is the reason I came forward," she said, "even though this is very uncomfortable. . . . He used people in the Utah County Sheriff's Department for his own reasons. . . . He is the godfather, the kingpin, who continues to use his authority for personal reasons."

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E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com