Teen pleads guilty to taping sex encounter

A Cary teen accused of secretly recording a sexual encounter with a female classmate pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Wednesday under a deal with prosecutors that could require him to testify against a pair of friends.

Vincent M. Witten, 18, admitted guilt in court to misdemeanor attempted eavesdropping stemming from a Jan. 6 incident at his home in which police said he and two co-defendants hid a video camera to record the encounter without the 17-year-old girl's knowledge.

Under the terms of his plea bargain, Witten was sentenced to one year probation, fined $500 and ordered to perform 100 hours of public service. He also is barred from having contact with the girl.

In return for the guilty plea, McHenry County prosecutors dismissed a felony eavesdropping charge that would have been punishable by one to three years in prison.

First Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Thomas Carroll said his office considered whether the victim would want the recording played before a jury and Witten's lack of criminal background when agreeing to the misdemeanor plea.

"Our victim desperately wants to move on with her life," he said. "This will put a permanent mark on (Witten's) record that will follow him for the rest of his life. This isn't a slap on the wrist."

Cary police arrested Witten and co-defendants Nicholas Parfitt, 18, of Cary, and Stefen W. Mueller, 17, of Cary, after finding a videotape of the recording while investigating separate claims against the teens that later proved unfounded.

Investigators tracked down the girl on the tape and learned that she was not aware she was being recorded. Police said there was no evidence the accused aired the recording to anyone but themselves.

Parfitt and Mueller still face one count of felony eavesdropping each. Both have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to be in court Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, respectively, for pretrial status hearings.