The mayor of Butler, Ohio, is facing serious legal trouble after authorities say he was caught on video engaging in deeply troubling behavior involving a teenage girl described in court documents as a minor relative in his care.
Wesley Dingus, 48, was arraigned Thursday on two counts of voyeurism, both misdemeanors, stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred on Jan. 13. According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, investigators received video footage that reportedly shows an adult male entering a child’s bedroom, going through her belongings, picking up her underwear and smelling it.
Law enforcement officials said the underwear had been previously worn.
Under Ohio law, such conduct may constitute a criminal offense when done for sexual gratification. The state’s criminal code makes clear that no person, “for the purpose of sexually arousing or gratifying the person’s self,” may trespass or otherwise surreptitiously invade the privacy of another in order to spy or eavesdrop. Authorities allege the incidents captured on video fall under that prohibition.
The Sheriff’s Office stated that both alleged acts were recorded, and the footage was provided to investigators. Details beyond what is described in the charging documents have not been publicly released.
A magistrate set Dingus’s bond at $10,000 and ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim. Dingus pleaded not guilty to both counts during his arraignment.
The case has drawn heightened scrutiny in part because Dingus is no stranger to the Richland County court system.
Just months ago, in July, Dingus was involved in a separate incident that also resulted in criminal charges. According to prior reports, he allegedly struck a man twice with his vehicle. Authorities said the man had been fleeing a traffic stop when Dingus hit him.
Following that incident, Dingus was indicted the next month on two felony counts — aggravated assault and vehicular assault — as well as two misdemeanors: falsification and dereliction of duty. Like in the current case, Dingus pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bond in that matter was set at $25,000.
That earlier episode was also captured on camera, adding to the growing list of legal challenges facing the mayor.
As the legal process unfolds, Dingus remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. However, the allegations outlined in the most recent charges — particularly those involving a minor relative — are likely to intensify questions from residents about leadership and accountability in the small Ohio community.
For now, the case will proceed through the courts, where prosecutors will be tasked with proving the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. Meanwhile, the mayor’s legal troubles continue to mount, with two separate cases now pending against him in Richland County.
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