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Police say Aurora man admits to spying on women, girls

A recently released search warrant details a pattern of behavior admitted to, police say, by an Aurora man who faces charges of felony burglary, child pornography possession, and disorderly conduct stemming from peeping into windows.

Erik Paxton, 24, who used to work with kids at the Heritage YMCA in Naperville, admitted to police he stole undergarments from women and girls he spied on and took photos of one victim, court documents show.

Aurora police began investigating Paxton May 20 after a “Peeping Tom” incident on the 200 block of South Westlawn Avenue.

According to court documents, Paxton was read his Miranda Rights and then gave police a detailed chronology of not only spying on a 13-year-old girl and other women, but entering their homes, cars and garages to steal panties, a nightgown and a swimming suit.

Police used Paxton’s words to obtain a search warrant May 22, and said they found the clothing items he mentioned. Authorities said they also seized computers, cameras, memory sticks and other items from his Aurora home on South Rosedale Avenue.

Investigators said they found pornographic images on a computer, but they do not believe they are of children Paxton worked with during his former employment with Heritage YMCA, nor children he came in contact with while volunteering at Hesed House, a homeless services center in Aurora.

Paxton also told police, according to court documents, the photos he had of girls younger than 10 were downloaded from Russian websites.

Police said Paxton told them he first used a neighbor’s lawn chair in March 2012 to spy on a girl showering in a home on South Westlawn Avenue on Aurora’s West side.

“Paxton stated that he was happy to know that he could return at any time and see a female naked in the shower,” detectives wrote in the search warrant.

Paxton told police he entered the home through an unlocked rear door and stole panties, and went there several times, but on April 26, the girl saw him through the window and screamed. That didn’t stop him from going back to the house, police said, noting Paxton later entered the attached garage through an unlocked utility door and stole more clothing items.

Police said Paxton also spied on an elderly woman in the 300 block of South Central Avenue, and spied on and took pictures of a woman in her 40s in the 2300 block of Taliesin Drive. He first saw the woman jogging with a friend in November 2011, located her car and took a photo of her license plate to find out where she lived, according to the court documents.

Paxton faces between six and 30 years in prison on the most serious charge of aggravated child pornography. He also faces two separate burglary charges that carry prison terms of four to 15 years if convicted.

He was being held at the Kane County jail on $760,000 bail. If he posts $76,000 bond, he would be banned from computers and forbidden to have contact with anyone younger than 18. He did not have a previous criminal record in Kane County.

A message left with his defense attorney, Bruce Self, was not returned.

Paxton’s next court date is Aug. 15.

Child porn charges for Aurora man charged as 'Peeping Tom'

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