Voyeur Rap For Man Who Used Drone To Spy

JUNE 25--A convicted sex offender is facing a video voyeurism charge after he allegedly flew a drone to peer into the bathroom window of a female neighbor, according to Rhode Island police.

Investigators say Stephanie Merola, 32, was preparing to take a shower in her Cranston residence Wednesday evening when she heard a buzzing sound outside the bathroom window.

When Merola went outside to investigate, cops say, she spotted a drone hovering near the window. As she approached the drone, it began to fly away, but struck a tree branch and fell to the ground. Merola then grabbed the drone (pictured below) and dunked it in her pool, disabling the quadcopter’s electronics.

Merola, who lives with her three-year-old daughter, called 911 and reported the remote Peeping Tom attempt.

A subsequent police investigation resulted in the arrest of Christopher Jones, 49, whose home--where he lives with his 72-year-old mother--abuts Merola’s property. While cops did not reveal how the defendant was linked to the drone, they say that Jones “admitted he was the operator.”

Jones (seen above) was arraigned Friday night on a felony video voyeurism charge and subsequently released from police custody.

Cops said Jones is a convicted sex offender, but that his requirement to register with state officials expired in 2015. (1 page)