KMOV REPORTS
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) — Missouri governor Eric Greitens was indicted Thursday on one count of invasion of privacy.
The charge says Greitens knowingly took a photograph of a woman in a “state of full or partial nudity without the knowledge and consent” of that woman. The charge goes on to say the photograph was taken “in a place where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and the defendant subsequently transmitted the image contained in the photograph in a manner that allowed access to that image via a computer.”
Invasion of Privacy in the 1st Degree is a Class D Felony in Missouri.
“Under Missouri law, the Grand Jury has found probable cause to believe that Governor Greitens violated Missouri State Statute 565.252, which was in place at the time of the violation,” Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said in a statement. “This statute has a provision for both a felony and misdemeanor. The law makes it a felony if a person transmits the image contained in the photograph or film in a manner that allows access to that image via a computer.”
In January, following a News 4 report, the Circuit Attorney announced she would be launching a criminal investigation into allegations against the governor.
Read: Blackmail alleged as Governor Greitens admits to extramarital
Greitens admitted in January to having an affair with a hairdresser. In a recording obtained by News 4, the woman said she had a sexual encounter with Greitens and that he tried to blackmail her with an image to keep the encounter quiet. Greitens has repeatedly denied the blackmail allegations. He has also repeatedly declined to answer direct questions about whether or not he took a photo of the woman.
Investigators working with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office reached out to a number of lawmakers in Jefferson City in the on-going investigation into allegations against Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, News 4 reported last week. State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal confirmed to News 4 her office was contacted by two investigators, Jack Foley and William Tisaby. State Representative Nate Walker also told News 4 that he had been contacted by the two men.
This is a developing story. More information will be posted shortly.
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