The Williamsburg-James City County Courthouse (staff photo)
A man accused of taking nude photos of his ex-girlfriend without her permission and sending harassing emails and text messages was found guilty Friday.
After a two-hour trial in Williamsburg-James City County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, 49-year-old Walter Zehler received a jail sentence of two years and three months with all but one year suspended for misdemeanor charges of unlawful photography, assault and battery and use of a computer for harassment.
Zehler’s attorney Paul Freeman said he plans to appeal the court’s decision.
Zehler was charged in January after his 49-year-old ex-girlfriend told James City County Police he had snapped photos of her while she was in the shower during a visit to her house in December.
The woman told authorities Zehler sent her the photos in a text message and threatened to share them on social media, said Stephanie Williams, a spokesperson with the James City County Police Department.
Zehler also called the woman 98 times in one day when she did not respond to hundreds of texts and emails containing “obscene, vulgar, lewd and indecent language,” Williams said.
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