WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) – A Wyoming man accused of installing a camera in the wall of a bathroom used by one of his tenants has pleaded no contest in the case.
Ben Crawford was charged in January with capturing an image of an unclothed person and using a computer to commit a crime.
Monday, he pleaded no contest to the first charge in Kent County Circuit Court. The second charge was dismissed.
According to probable cause documents filed in court, Crawford is accused of installing a “towel hook” camera on a bathroom wall, which captured an image of a tenant’s naked breasts.
Crawford saved the video image on his computer using a password protected encrypted file. A forensics team recovered the image from his computer, authorities said.
The probable cause filing also stated Crawford admitted to installing the camera without the tenant’s knowledge with intent of recording her having sex in the bathroom. Crawford also admitted to downloading the footage from the camera to his computer, according to the court documents.
Crawford is expected to be sentenced on July 27.