GEORGETOWN, Del.- The Dover photographer charged with secretly videotaping under girls' clothing at September's Sussex Tech homecoming dance will spend the next six months behind bars.
On Wednesday, Elias Stephens pleaded guilty to four counts of Violation of Privacy and one count of Attempted Violation of Privacy, all Class G (non-violent) felonies. In January, Stephens was charged with 80 counts of Violation of Privacy. At the time, state police said Stephens was operating a photo booth at the high school dance when he intentionally secretly videotaped, photographed or filmed under girls' clothing to see their undergarments or bodies.
The Department of Justice says Stephens was sentenced to a total of ten years in prison, suspended after six months and 100 days. According to the DOJ, Stephens' sentence provides credit for 100 days already served, meaning he will serve just six months in prison, starting Wednesday. After he is released, the DOJ says Stephens will be on probation for three years.
In addition to jail time, the DOJ says Stephens will have to register as a Tier 1 sex offender, undergo mental health and sexual disorder evaluations and comply with any recommended treatment. What's more, Stephens will have to forfeit the cell phone on which all the pictures and videos of the victims were found.
The Department of Justice reports that while on probation, Stephens may not have any device that can be used to access the internet or that are capable of taking photos or videos. According to the Department of Justice, Stephens may not have contact with any of the victims, a condition previously set during his arraignment.
A spokesperson for Sussex Tech declined to comment after Stephens' sentencing, but referred to the district's statement from January, which is copied below:
The District is pleased to have assisted and cooperated with the Delaware State Police during the thorough and diligent investigation. The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and our school safety officers are present at all school functions for the protection of students and staff. When concerns were brought to the attention of administrators, we acted immediately and informed law enforcement authorities on hand. Counseling services are and have been available to any member of the Sussex Tech community.