These got me busted, Was it worth it?

[thekat]

I did jail time for voyeurism so be careful!!! Got arrested window peeping from my own house into a neighbors. Police stormed my house like nazis and took my computer, cameras, videos and dvds, all disks, etc. They offered a deal or go to court and face up to 15 years. Who the hell would fight the charges with that possibility lurkin over you! Anyway be careful. Always bail out before you get caught and if you think you might have been spotted, assume that you have been and get out.

[jjanda_2000]

- Were you in the right? Sure you were. Would it cost you to prove it? Sure it would. Could it get your ass wupped? Absolutely!

There is not one pic or vid on this entire site that is worth any poster's public humiliation, $$ fines, physical well-being, or loss of freedom.

That said, I'm willing to look at anything you're willing to post.

[gawker8]

Question for thekat -- Where do you live that this could happen to you?

[madahab]

Originally Posted by thekat

I did jail time for voyeurism so be careful!!! Got arrested window peeping from my own house into a neighbors. Police stormed my house like nazis and took my computer, cameras, videos and dvds, all disks, etc. They offered a deal or go to court and face up to 15 years. Who the hell would fight the charges with that possibility lurkin over you! Anyway be careful. Always bail out before you get caught and if you think you might have been spotted, assume that you have been and get out.

From your own house? Where the fuck do you live? No one has a reasonable expectation of privacy if they don't close the damn curtains. Thankfully some people don't seem to expect it

[QDiddy]

Originally Posted by thekat

I did jail time for voyeurism so be careful!!! Got arrested window peeping from my own house into a neighbors. Police stormed my house like nazis and took my computer, cameras, videos and dvds, all disks, etc. They offered a deal or go to court and face up to 15 years. Who the hell would fight the charges with that possibility lurkin over you! Anyway be careful. Always bail out before you get caught and if you think you might have been spotted, assume that you have been and get out.

I've never heard of anything like this. The police stormed your house? Now if you were dealing with child porn in one way or another, I could see that happening. But "voyeurism" from your own house? I guess I better not look out my window anymore...I might see something naughty. Thank God I can still get the weather off of the TV now that looking out of my own window is becoming too risky.

[thekat]

It was in the US but i'm still on parole so i'd rather not say. Also the reason I dont post much, sorry guys.

The trick was, someone called the cops because I was walking around their house (not voying them though, just a coincidence) and they stopped me. I was getting into my car and they saw a cam on my seat. They watched the cam (without permission) and then arrested me because there was a girl changing on it. The next day they hit my house and got videos of my girlfriend and me. They tracked her down to verify her age and that was fine BUT that wasnt the big charge! I was actually in the most trouble because while searching the house, they found a switchblade which is 3 years in jail. They stacked posession of a gravity knife onto a few privacy counts and it came up to a possible 14 years.

And Q, you were right, one girl in one video of-age when I was caught but because she was assumed to be underage at the time, they charged me with Endangering the Welfare of a Minor. The crazy thing is she was dressed in the video.

I definatly deserved to get caught and I agree with a lot of their charges but some were just wrong. Plus it taught me two VERY important things...
1. DO NOT tell the police ANYTHING if you are ever caught. I mean NOTHING! Shut up and call a lawyer. Cops are scared of them.
2. Hide your stuff if you have any at the house. Stash vids in very safe places and get yourself an encrypted hard drive (I have a BUSLINK 250 gig now that is strung far away from my computer and hidden in a different room).
3. Be VERY careful. Safety first. If you think you've been noticed, you probably have.

[Ryan79]

I got busted for Video Voyeurism in a tanning salon that I worked at. My face was all over the news and I had to spent about 3 grand on a lawyer. The charge ended up getting tossed out because they had no evidence that I set up the cameras. The whole situation made for a long 4 months while it was hanging over my head.

[SnapHappy]

Originally Posted by Ryan79

I got busted for Video Voyeurism in a tanning salon that I worked at. My face was all over the news and I had to spent about 3 grand on a lawyer. The charge ended up getting tossed out because they had no evidence that I set up the cameras. The whole situation made for a long 4 months while it was hanging over my head.

Yeah, they'll definitely do that, when they don't have anything on you they'll still string it out and make you hire a lawyer, release you mug shot to the press (plus there's the camera in the court room that they'll show on the local news)

In my case they dismissed the case in order to expedite it to a jury trial, and they had to get a true bill in order to get to that point. That's the last I heard and it's been 3 years so apparently the DA either didn't get it or was just bullshitting so people wouldn't think he just dropped it as it was an election year. Bottom line was I got royally fucked with and never broke the law. Lawyer said it "didn't matter if it was a 9 year old girl fucking a dog", if she does it on a public street I have a legal right to take a picture.

[thekat]

In my case they did a similar tactic. They put me all over the news and then threatened me that if I went to court, I faced something like 14 years. If I took a plea bargain, I got some short jail and parole then probation. I didnt have the money to fight them back then so they knew they had me nailed. Now I have some $$ so i'm going back at them after all these years.

[buscher]

Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories. Its been a week and reading these scary stories makes me realize how lucky I was to just get a warning. I have always enjoyed going to crowded beaches, outdoor parties, concerts, etc and just walking around and looking for opportunities to get the right angle.
I only recently started trying to capture some of the views on camera. I will still be looking, but the situation will have to be pretty safe for the camera to come out lol.
Thanks for letting me know that I was legaly ok, but risking having to prove it.
It is pretty scary to know that we can be charged with a crime for just enjoying the view!