Local man gets 6 months in jail in voyeurism case

A 29-year-old Rhinelander man was sentenced last week to six months in jail for taking intimate photos of a neighbor.

Tyler RL Michel will also serve three years probation after pleading guilty to one count of capturing an intimate representation, a Class I felony.

According to the criminal complaint, Michel was charged after a local resident set up a trail camera in an effort to determine who was walking around their home and looking into their windows.

The resident became concerned after repeatedly noticing footprints in the snow leading to their bedroom and bathroom windows, the complaint said.

The trail camera captured images of a white male outside the home. 

Police later identified the male as Michel. When confronted by investigators, Michel admitted to taking nude or partially nude photos of his neighbor.

In a victim impact statement to the court as part of the Sept. 25 sentencing hearing, the victim noted the trauma of the invasion of privacy lingers.

“Ever since I figured out my neighbor was taking photos of me without my consent I have felt terrified, afraid and unsafe,” she said, noting that she’s reminded of the defendant’s conduct every single day and has been plagued by nightmares.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get that (sense) of safety and security back,” she added.

Michel’s attorney David Casey noted his client took immediate responsibility for his actions and voluntarily participated in intensive therapy. He also took the step of moving away from the neighborhood so that the victim does not have to see him on a daily basis.

“He was ashamed and remorseful basically from the initial discussion with law enforcement,” Casey noted. “He knew that he had done something terribly wrong and he immediately sought help to fix whatever had broken in him that allowed him to do this.”

 Michel has no prior criminal history, his attorney noted, arguing that any jail sentence would interrupt the defendant’s progress in therapy. 

Ultimately, Judge Mike Schiek ordered six months conditional jail time.

He noted the conduct in question was “as serious as it can get for violating somebody’s personal space” and there were multiple instances.

“They’re in the sanctity of their own home, thinking they’re safe...” he noted, adding that he noticed the victim physically shaking while addressing the court.

Michel was given until late October to report to serve his sentence.