Voyeurism suspect's wife was not his first victim, prosecutors say

TAMPA, Fla. - Prosecutor Jessica Couvertier says Justin Stueve has a pattern of criminal behavior and she wants a jury to hear about it.

"They both found photographic evidence that the defendant, in fact, had committed these acts," said Couvertier.

At a virtual court hearing Friday, Couvertier was asking a judge to allow evidence of prior bad acts during Stueve’s trial. But his defense attorney said none of it is relevant.

"It’s unfair to the defendant to try to show that he's a bad guy," Adam Banter argued.

In September of 2019, Stueve was arrested and charged with sexual battery and video voyeurism. Prosecutors say the victim was his wife. They say he drugged her and took sexually explicit photos of her – without her permission.

She discovered the X-rated pictures on a thumb drive and took it to police.

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Now, prosecutors say they have new damning text messages between Stueve and his first ex-wife that prove he did it to her too, and got away with it.

"They had not given consent or permission for the defendant to perform these acts on them. They had not given permission or consent for the defendant to write on their bodies," explained Couvertier.

Now, prosecutors want the prior bad acts, known as Williams Rule evidence, to be allowed during the trial. The defense fought it.

"It doesn’t corroborate that he was in the room with her, that he took the photos, that he drugged her. It doesn’t do anything. They are completely separate events separated by 14 years at this point," continued Banter.

But Hillsborough Judge Mark Kiser wasn’t swayed and sided with prosecutors.

"The court is convinced by clear and convincing evidence those acts did occur," ruled Kiser.

Now the jury will hear all about it at Stueve's trial, which is set for November.