Butler, Ohio – Wesley R. Dingus, the 48-year-old mayor of Butler in Richland County, appeared in Mansfield Municipal Court on February 19, 2026, for arraignment on two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism. The charges stem from allegations that he entered a teenage girl’s bedroom on two occasions and sniffed her worn underwear, actions reportedly captured on a hidden camera set up by the girl herself.
According to a Richland County Sheriff’s Office report, the incidents allegedly occurred on January 13, 2026. The girl, described as a minor relative in Dingus’s care, became suspicious of unauthorized entries into her room and installed a small motion-activated camera. She told investigators she received alerts on her phone shortly after leaving for school, with footage showing Dingus entering the room, handling and smelling her underwear on the first day, and repeating similar behavior while also touching his groin area over his clothing on the second day.
Authorities were notified the same day by Richland County Children Services after receiving the video evidence. A deputy and a Children Services representative interviewed the girl at her high school on January 14, 2026. Dingus’s defense attorney, James Mayer, contacted the sheriff’s office on January 16, 2026, to state that his client would not provide any statements. The case was forwarded to the Mansfield City Law Director’s Office on January 26, 2026, and Assistant Law Director Ron Sharp authorized two summonses on February 12, 2026. The summonses were served to Dingus on February 13, 2026.
Under Ohio Revised Code 2907.08, voyeurism is defined as surreptitiously invading another’s privacy for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. These misdemeanor charges carry potential penalties including fines and jail time upon conviction, though Dingus is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
During the February 19, 2026, arraignment before Magistrate John D. McCollister, bond was set at $10,000, with a 10 percent option available. The court also imposed conditions including electronic monitoring and a no-contact order with the alleged victim. Court records and reports do not indicate that Dingus was taken into custody prior to the arraignment, as the charges were handled via summons rather than an arrest warrant. No information was available as of February 19, 2026, on whether Dingus had posted bond following the hearing, but he was not reported to be in detention.
These new charges come amid ongoing legal issues for Dingus. In 2025, a Richland County grand jury indicted him on four counts, aggravated assault, vehicular assault, falsification, and dereliction of duty, related to a July 11, 2025, incident where he allegedly struck a man with his vehicle during a pursuit involving a parole violator fleeing a traffic stop. Dingus pleaded not guilty to those charges, was released on a $25,000 bond, and that case remains pending in Richland County Common Pleas Court. The voyeurism allegations reportedly occurred while he was out on bond for the earlier case.
As of February 19, 2026, Dingus remains the mayor of Butler, a small village in Richland County with no reported changes to his position since the charges were filed. Local officials have not publicly commented on any potential impact to his role, and no details on his mayoral term dates or election history were immediately available in court or sheriff’s records. The Village of Butler has not issued a statement regarding the matter.
This case highlights ongoing concerns in Richland County law enforcement and child protection services. Residents in south central Ohio seeking updates can follow proceedings in Mansfield Municipal Court. Dingus’s next court date has not been announced.
