Cell Phone Voyeur Sentenced

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man who used his cell phone to take “upskirt” photos of a 13-year-old girl was sentenced on March 8 to three years’ probation. The girl’s mother caught Daniel Reinker snapping the photos while bending down and pretending to talk on his phone at a grocery store. Witnesses say he tried deleting some of the pictures after an off-duty Franklin County sheriff’s deputy detained him. “[The mother] confronts him,” Franklin County Sheriff Chief Deputy Steve Martin told television reporters. “He tries to run away. That’s when an extra-duty officer stops him and arrested him.” The deputy took Reinker’s camera phone as evidence, but Reinker grabbed it back and tried to destroy the pictures. Sheriff’s deputies later found 20 upskirt photos of women and young girls. Reinker was originally indicted on 20 counts of voyeurism but pleaded guilty in January to one count of voyeurism and one count of tampering with evidence. As part of the plea agreement, he must be registered with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office as a sexuallyoriented offender for the next 10 years. In a related story, John Addison Grant III of Lebanon, Ore., pleaded guilty on March 10 to attempted invasion of privacy, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of two years’ probation and a $600 fine. The charge stemmed from a 2003 incident in which Grant was caught taking pictures up another 13-year-old girl’s skirt during a cheerleading competition. “This is an example where the laws of the state have not kept up with advances in technology,” John Haroldson, the district attorney who prosecuted Grant, told reporters outside the courthouse. Voyeurs in the digital age are frustrating prosecutors across the U.S. because snapping pictures up skirts and down blouses is not against the law in most states. Although 38 states have privacy laws concerning the use of cameras, only 19 specifically punish video voyeurism, and half of those do so only for “private” areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. Public areas, such as malls, usually do not fall into this category. When police in Memphis, Tenn., caught a man video taping college women as they slept, prosecutors had trouble defining the crime under the states existing laws. He was eventually charged with “observing without consent,” a misdemeanor that carries a maximum six-month sentence. Meanwhile, a Virginia man was slapped on the wrist with a 10-day sentence for disorderly conduct because prosecutors were stymied in their attempts to find an appropriate charge after he was arrested while videotaping up girls skirts at a local mall. Lawmakers in many states, including California, Hawaii and Nevada, are scrambling to rework privacy laws to account for digital technology. Robert Westcott was the first person to be convicted under New York’s new “Stephanie’s Law” when he pleaded guilty on March 7 to one felony count of unlawful surveillance. Because the New York law makes video voyeurism a felony, Westcott is expected to draw a stiffer sentence than Reinker or Grant. While prosecutors and victims have been frustrated by murky criminal statutes regarding video voyeurism, they have had more success seeking justice in civil courts. In February, two Florida women were awarded $1 million each in a lawsuit against their former employer, Ocwen Financial Corp., after a co-worker admitted to secretly videotaping them under their desks. The office voyeur, Ronald Minnis, Jr., told authorities that he had sold the videos to an adult website. Criminal charges against Minnis were dropped by the state attorney’s office after he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the civil case. But even as states move to raise penalties and victims seek financial damages against voyeurs, new technology is constantly emerging that makes it harder for law enforcement to catch offenders. In March, Sony Ericsson released its new CeBIT Rob-1, a camera that can be remotely controlled via a Bluetooth connection at a range of up to about 30 yards. Using a mobile phone, voyeurs can see exactly what the Rob-1 sees and use the handset’s joystick to tilt the camera down 20 degrees or up 70 degrees for the best angle, then snap away and store pictures to memory.

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Brazil Launches Complaints Page for AV Violations, Other Issues

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Monday debuted a portal where citizens can report possible violations of the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

Texas Patti Leads Latest From Evil Angel

Texas Patti stars with multi-XMAs winner Mick Blue in the latest release from Evil Angel, directed by Blue and Maestro Claudio.

Lilly Bell, Lily Labeau Front Latest Release From TeamSkeet

XMAs winner Lilly Bell stars with Lily Labeau and Donnie Rock in the latest scene from TeamSkeet’s “Brat Tamer” series, titled “Band Brat Gets a Spanking.”

Raissa Bellini Makes Her MILFY Debut

Raissa Bellini has made her debut for Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY, alongside 2025 XMAs Male Performer of the Year Alex Jones.

Octavia Red Stars in Hentaied Pro's Latest Interactive Release

Reigning XMAs Girl/Girl Performer of the Year Octavia Red stars in Hentaied Pro’s latest all-girl interactive release, titled "Lady Seraphine."

Penthouse Names Coco Star June's 'Pet of the Month'

Penthouse Magazine has named creator Coco Star as Pet of the Month for June.

Thea Summers Fronts Latest Release From FreeUse

Thea Summers stars with Chloe Rose and Jayden Marcos in the latest scene from Freeuse.

Brazzers Premieres Limited Series 'Slackers Hit The Jackpot'

Brazzers has released the first installment of its new limited series, "Slackers Hit the Jackpot."

Dorcel Drops Clara Mia's 'Sex Invitation'

Clara Mia directs and stars in "Sex Invitation," the latest feature from Dorcel.

Sophia Locke, Leigh Raven Star in Latest From Kink.com

Reigning XMAs MILF Performer of the Year Sophia Locke stars with director Leigh Raven in the latest installment of Kink.com’s "Whipped Ass" series, titled "Locked Down."

Show More