A North Baltimore man has been placed on community control for drug possession and voyeurism.
Shayne Cary, 30, appeared Monday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Molly Mack.
On Oct. 5, he was indicted for voyeurism, pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, and illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance.
In a separate case, Cary was indicted for trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, two counts possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of drugs.
He pleaded guilty in March to voyeurism, a first-degree misdemeanor; illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a fifth-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine, both fifth-degree felonies.
The remaining charges were dismissed.
Defense attorney Steve Spitler asked for a sentence of community control.
He said his client had the worst year of his life in 2021. His father, for whom he was the primary caregiver, died. Then someone introduced him to fentanyl. He started using the drug to cope, Spitler said.
Cary has completed substance abuse treatment, attends AA twice a week, and has not had a positive drug test since the charges were filed, Spitler said.
“I think he will prove to the court he will follow through with all directives,” Spitler said.
“I do acknowledge and accept for responsibility for my actions,” Cary said.
He said his father was his best friend, and upon his death, he started hanging out with the wrong people and doing things he’d never done before.
On March 15, 2022, witnesses reported seeing Cary in his vehicle consuming narcotics. Police arrived, searched his vehicle, and found what was identified through testing as fentanyl and cocaine.
A search of Cary’s phone uncovered numerous videos involving a minor in a state of nudity.
In February 2021, he had secretly videotaped this minor under or through her clothing with a hidden camera for the purpose of viewing her body or undergarments.
“It’s disturbing that you tried to blame the videos on your deceased father,” Mack said. “This case in itself is disturbing.”
She placed Cary on four years of community control.
He must continue his substance abuse treatment and get assessed for sex offender treatment.
Cary is to have no contact with the victim.
He must register as a Tier I sex offender, which will require him to register annually for 15 years.
