'Lapse of judgement': Jail deputy gets probation for taking nude photo of man at gym
A former Hamilton County corrections officer was sentenced Wednesday morning to three years of probation for taking a nude photo of a man inside a Planet Fitness in Fairfield and posting the image on social media.
Michael Crawford, 32, must also register as a sex offender for 15 years. The sentence was handed down by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Gregory Howard.
Prosecutors say the September 2022 incident happened inside a gym restroom and Crawford posted the photo of the victim, a now 30-year-old man officials have described as being developmentally disabled, on Facebook and Instagram.
He disseminated the image without the victim's consent and "with the intent to ridicule," prosecutors said in court filings.
Crawford of Hamilton was indicted in November on charges of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance and nonconsensual dissemination of priavate sexual images.
He pleaded guilty in May to the first count and as part of his plea agreement prosecutors dismissed the second charge, court records show.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office placed him on unpaid administrative leave as a result of the charges. Howard said Crawford has since lost his job with the sheriff's office.
Crawford completed a peace officer certification with the Butler Technical Institute in 2015 and was hired by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office later that year.
His personnel file shows suspensions for not conducting his rounds during a shift while being shadowed by a recruit and for losing his duty belt and service weapon, which were reportedly stolen from his unlocked vehicle.
His disciplinary history also includes reprimands for sleeping while on duty.
Clyde Bennett II, Crawford's lawyer, noted his client's lack of criminal history and characterized the incident at Planet Fitness as a "lapse of judgement" and a mistake.
"I'm sorry for the situation," Crawford said in court on Wednesday as he expressed remorse for the incident and extended an apology to the victim's family.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Jail deputy sentenced for photographing man in Planet Fitness bathroom
