Accused video voyeur pleads to misdemeanor

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man accused of secretly videotaping a young woman in various states of undress through a window in her home last year has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disturbing the peace.

Mark Bernhoff Johnson, 41, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3. He faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Johnson was originally charged with video voyeurism, a felony. His three-day jury trial in 1st District Court was set to start next month.

Charging papers said Johnson conducted the illicit surveillance in 2006, when the alleged victim was 17 or 18 years old.

A videotape containing the footage was allegedly discovered by Johnson's wife, who planned to turn it over to authorities. But Johnson apparently took the tape and destroyed it before it could be given to prosecutors, according to court records.