A Republican mayor in Ohio is facing criminal allegations after authorities say he was recorded on a concealed camera smelling an underage girl’s underwear.
An incident report from the Richland county sheriff’s Office details the accusations against Wesley Dingus, 48, who serves as mayor of Butler. The claims came from a juvenile who had been staying at his residence.
According to investigators, the teen had hidden a small camera in a bedroom in the home. On 13 January, she reportedly received multiple motion alerts indicating recordings had been captured. Deputies say the footage showed Dingus smelling at least four pairs of her underwear “for several seconds” and also “touching his groin area over his clothes”.
Richland county children’s services passed the report along to law enforcement the same day the alleged incident occurred, and a deputy later interviewed the girl at her school.
A deputy later contacted Dingus and arranged a meeting, but the conversation did not happen after his attorney advised canceling it, local news outlet WKYC reported. Authorities arrested Dingus nearly a month later, an action that took place on 13 February.
Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.08 | Voyeurism
(A) No person, for the purpose of sexually arousing or gratifying the person’s self, shall commit trespass or otherwise surreptitiously invade the privacy of another, to spy or eavesdrop upon another.
(2) A violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Ya… I guess. Maybe. I good defense attorney would have a field day with this.
Whether we like it or not, it’s not trespass and it wasn’t to spy on or eavesdrop. In fact the hidden camera in his house actually qualifies more, but likely wouldn’t qualify for gratification.
trespass or surreptitiously invade the privacy of another.
The camera was in her room in his house. They don’t cover the details of the arrangement, but she’s very likely at least a tenant-at-will, which comes with rights.