Former Preble County township trustee accused of recording 2 minors

Preble County Courthouse. Contributed image.

Preble County Courthouse. Contributed image.

A former Preble County township trustee is facing voyeurism charges after he allegedly recorded two minors.

A grand jury indicted Joseph Wade Guthrie, 37, on one count of tampering with evidence and two counts of voyeurism in Preble County Common Pleas Court on Monday.

An investigation by the Preble County Sheriff’s Office determined Guthrie allegedly recorded two juveniles in a place where they had a reasonable expectation of privacy, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Joseph Wade Guthrie. Photo courtesy the Preble County Sheriff's Office.

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In July, a captain from the Preble County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Guthrie about claims he filmed a juvenile while in the bathroom.

Guthrie admitted to watching the juvenile shower, according to Eaton Municipal Court records. He reportedly put his cellphone in the bathroom and used his Apple Watch to activate the camera to take video and photos.

The juvenile confronted him and Guthrie deleted the images and video, according to an affidavit.

Guthrie was a Gasper Twp. trustee at the time.

“The Board of Trustees, Gasper Township, is aware of the news regarding Mr. Joseph ‘Wade’ Guthrie,” read a statement issued by the township in July. “Though we understand the community interest in the situation, we are unable to provide comment at this time.”

Attorneys from the Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.

Guthrie is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 8.

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