The Daily News

Southeast District Court Judge Richard Grosz demanded 52-year-old Anthony Siemieniewski, charged with eavesdropping, take the stand Monday prior to sentencing.

Although Siemieniewski submitted to the court an alford plea of guilty, therefore sentenced to serve 10 days in the Richland County Jail, Grosz wanted to clear up an impact statement filed by one of the two victims in the case.

"What the victims meant in their impact statement is that when he'd go on vacation he'd take video and come home and show them to his friends," said Mark Meyer, attorney to victims Skylar Holte and Heather Sondrol. "They were afraid that he took videos of them and he would do the same thing and show them to his friends."

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Based on testimony given Monday, Siemieniewski placed a device with a camera and microphone in a heating duct of a rental home he owned during the 2007-2008 winter season. Tenants who rented the home later in 2008 found the camera in February 2009 and reported the crime to law enforcement. Investigation has determined that although the device did have a camera and a microphone, there was no video, but instead numerous tapes with only audio detected.

"They did not find anything indicating he was taping any of this. They found TV recordings, off the air stuff," said Assistant State's Attorney Ron McBeth. "He told police he was using it just to listen."

While under oath, Siemieniewski indicated he placed the camera in the heating duct in the bedroom in order to hear the furnace running, which he previously had problems with. The camera, he said, was hooked up to his television next door and never produced video.

"It was just black and white," Siemieniewski told the judge. "It wouldn't show anything, it was just dark."

Also as part of the plea bargain, Siemieniewski utilized his deferred imposition sentence in which he'll have to undergo two years of supervised probation, pay $500 in court administration fees and a monthly supervision fee of $45. Siemieniewski was also ordered to complete a psychological evaluation and follow through with any facilitator recommendations.

Prior to Grosz's full sentencing procedure, Holte and Sondrol both went on record, noting their discord for the plea agreement's terms.

"I think he's getting off easy... a slap on the wrist," Holte said. " I feel really stressed about this. I'm paranoid about any camera I see, again [because] it makes me think about this."

The second victim, Sondrol, claimed the incident was the worst thing that's happened to her in her lifetime.

"I will never be the same because of this, ever," she said. "I feel like he's getting away with this. He invaded my privacy, my life."

Both victims asked the defendant be ordered to register as a sex offender and serve eight months in jail, the exact time they rented out Siemieniewski's property.

"The problem is the facts don't warrant eight months," Grosz said. "This agreement would not be fair if there had been video taken... or if he had spread this around to others. I have no evidence that that occurred."

"I wouldn't want to order registration until the [psychological] report comes back," Grosz continued, discussing the matter further after sentencing.

Both attorneys agreed they'd communicate in writing and would appear at a hearing if the psychological evaluation revealed information indicating Siemieniewski should register as sex offender.

Siemieniewski checked in to the Richland County Jail at 7 p.m. Monday and is authorized work release.

He is scheduled to appear in court again Monday Sept. 28 for an initial appearance on a complaint filed by the victims.

Comments

a niece wrote on Sep 22, 2009 1:12 PM:

" Tony is my uncle, he is a simple man who made a poor judgement call. From what I understand, he was worried these tenants were involved with illegal acts and did not want to be found liable for it. He's not a sex offender. He's been around me my whole life and I've never thought of him as creepy or perverted in ANY way. I trust him to be around my children and would never think twice about it. Please don't judge someone based on others' words. You may not know the whole story. It is God's job to judge. "




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Really wrote on Sep 21, 2009 9:40 PM:

" Thank you Judge Grosz & Mr. McBeth, keep doing your jobs. I know you have made it easier for kids to sleep at night.I know that when my family went through a situation, I was very grateful for an Alford Plea the only way for the victims horrific crimes NOT TO HAVE TO FACE THOSE THAT HAVE VIOLATED THEM. To any of you that are "defending" this man been the parent of a child who has endured such horrific acts? Have you yourselves been a survivor of something this sick? Stop and think how you would feel "




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reader wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:16 PM:

" To all those who are his friends... how is it that he said he did this and you are still saying he's innocent? If his reasons were what he says they were, than he needs mental help. Who checks a furnace with a camera in a bedroom vent of a rental? Why not ASK the tenants if there was problems. And Wahp citizen has a valid point, what if it was your child or yourself in that room of that "nice and trusted friend"? "




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Concerned wrote on Sep 17, 2009 6:55 PM:

" I'm concerned about my family and others in the community. All convicts and offenders will flock here knowing that they will get off for crimes. I hope Grosz and McBeth are ready for this... I sure am not!!! This used to be a great family community, who knows what will come from this?? "




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Resident wrote on Sep 17, 2009 5:15 PM:

" I've known Tony for sometime through friends. The first things you'll notice about him is his obsessiveness to pornographic material and his corrupt sick jokes. These victims have been violated in the most perverted, intrusive and disgusting way by having their bedroom activities monitored!! Put yourself in their shoes for one day, better yet put yourself in their shoes for the rest of your life...! "




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Wahpeton citizen wrote on Sep 17, 2009 12:54 PM:

" This is a horiable thing to happen to these kids. How would you feel if this was your kids. Would you still have the same opinion? I don't think so. People say these kids are trying to make a quick buck. Please What would you do if you found a camera in your bedroom vent? "




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annonymous wrote on Sep 17, 2009 12:41 PM:

" I've known Tony for a lot of years. He is a good guy. These kids are out to make some money at Tony's expense.. "




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used to b friend- wrote on Sep 17, 2009 9:10 AM:

" we thought Tony was a trusted friend too, I wish the whole story would come out and then the 'victims' wouldn't be blamed for this crime-because this is a crime. We would rather it didn't happen either, but the fact is-it did happen,a total violation of trust, John Wayne Gasey was a nice guy also,trusted,helped people-but murdered. "




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A friend wrote on Sep 17, 2009 8:19 AM:

" Tony did an ALFORD plea of guilty. Maybe you people who are so quick to judge and lable people as sex offenders should educate yourselves. I Googled Alford Plea of Guilty, and found it is pleading guilty at the same time you are saying you are INNOCENT. The Daily News if it was doing a good unbiased job of reporting cound have found that out and added THAT to their article!!! "




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Annonymous wrote on Sep 17, 2009 7:36 AM:

" I've known Tony since I was little. He would never do anything to hurt anybody. I also know the so called victims and their characters is questionable to say the least. In my opinion they are out to make money at the cost of somebody else's reputation. "




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Sarah wrote on Sep 16, 2009 10:32 PM:

" The Daily News made him sound guilty by reporting that he submitted a guilty plea?! Huh? "




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Scarletts MOM wrote on Sep 16, 2009 6:36 PM:

" . I would trust Tony to rent a home to anyone of my children.In fact I do!!!!!This comunity is only out to see the bad in everyone.And some to make a fast buck. Some people are forced by our legal sytem to cop a plea, and save time and money, and then they end up with a bad name for it. I hope those kids can sleep at nite for what they are putting Tony thru. HE is the victim .. "




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Scarletts MOM wrote on Sep 16, 2009 6:31 PM:

" Tony is the most honest upstanding man anyone in the world would be priveleged to call FRIEND. The reporting done on this incedent , which is plain and simple a lack of communication with all parties involved, was basically one sided.It made a good man sound like a pervert.I know for a fact he is innocent!!! Yes using a cheap cam for convenience of checking on a bad furnace was probably was not the best judgement call, but I know the long hard hours Tony works, and it served its purpose. "




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Irate Reader wrote on Sep 16, 2009 4:30 PM:

" How can anyone say this guy is innocent? He ADMIDTED to putting this in the vent... I don't care how nice he is- Jeffery Dalhmer was "nice" too! He got off way too easy. "




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RU Kidding Me wrote on Sep 16, 2009 12:44 PM:

" Sex Offender? Tony? You obviously don't know the man nor the entire story. The Daily News once again has left out pertinent facts and made an innocent man sound guilty. The person(s) who reported this to the police should be ashamed!!! And the police obviously made a mountain out of a molehill. If anyone has been victimized, it's Tony. "




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MAD wrote on Sep 16, 2009 12:20 PM:

" Once again Mr Mcbeth and Mr. Grosz fail to do the job that they have been elected or hired to do. Shame on both of them. "




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Brad wrote on Sep 16, 2009 11:10 AM:

" He had a camera in the vent. If he was wondering about the furnace there are many other less perverted ways to do that. Then he saved the recordings. Who would ever say: "this evening I'm going to listen so see if the furnace worked in my rental house this morning"? A normal landlord would have said to the tenant "if there is a problem with the furnace let me know." There is no doubt in my mind that there were other motives. "




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TIREDofCRIMINALgetttingOFFeasy wrote on Sep 16, 2009 8:58 AM:

" How would you feel if this had happened to your family? I've been there/done that. It majorly sucks to hear that this CRIME has only rec'd 10 days in jail. The judicial systems of Wahpeton/Breckenridge have both failed our community in more ways than one! What will it take for the criminals to serve their time as deserved? Since they get off so easy, it's like the victims get the punishment. Why would anyone want to turn to the courts for help when past history shows that they will not get any justice??? "




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arabel wrote on Sep 15, 2009 6:18 PM:

" Annonymous- Most sex offenders come of as nice people. Just because he provides nice homes to people does not mean that he is innocent. If he is 100% innocent than why was a plea bargain made. I'm sick and tired of people defending criminals. "




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Susan Jones wrote on Sep 15, 2009 4:40 PM:

" This is the life of good person they a trying to ruin. He's innocent. They kids are are trying to make a quick buck. "




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Annonymous wrote on Sep 15, 2009 3:33 PM:

" He is innocent! Ask anyone in the community who knows him...he is an extremely kind person who helps others when needed. He is very responsible and hard-working. This is a huge mis-understanding and merely "looks bad." He is wonderful toward his renters/tenants by providing a nice home and is often more than what they pay for. "




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