Voyeur pleads guilty to lesser charge

Created on Friday, 22 February 2013 Written by THE BELLEFONTAINE EXAMINER STAFF

Matthew Warnecke, 32, of Harrod, pleaded guilty to first-degree voyeurism Thursday in Logan County Common Pleas Court and will have to register as a Tier 1 sex offender for the next 15 years, according to Washington Township Police Chief Rick Core.

Chief Core and his officers arrested Warnecke in July after witnesses observed him outside a residence videotaping a 14-year-old girl through a bathroom window. He was indicted by a grand jury for illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material, a second-degree felony, and voyeurism, a fifth-degree felony.

Because the victim is still unaware of the event and her parents did not want her to have to testify, law enforcement and prosecutors agreed to the lesser charge of voyeurism.

Warnecke will be sentenced April 1.

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